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as in difficult
requiring exceptional skill or caution in performance or handling
the candidate tried to avoid discussing his views on the thorny issue
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of thorny
However, women's health tech and privacy is a thorny issue.
—
Emily Forlini, PC Magazine, 11 July 2025
Unequal revenue sharing was a thorny topic, and Big Ten commissioner Tony Pettiti was floating 14 or 16 teams and the multi-AQ concept even back then.
—Stewart Mandel, New York Times, 9 July 2025
Looming large is the thorny issue of Washington and how to handle Trump and his unwieldy and unpredictable tariffs regime that could affect severely impact European and global economic growth.
—Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 8 July 2025
The thorny question is often referred to as the human ceiling assumption.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 3 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for thorny
Emily Forlini, PC Magazine, 11 July 2025
Unequal revenue sharing was a thorny topic, and Big Ten commissioner Tony Pettiti was floating 14 or 16 teams and the multi-AQ concept even back then.
—Stewart Mandel, New York Times, 9 July 2025
Looming large is the thorny issue of Washington and how to handle Trump and his unwieldy and unpredictable tariffs regime that could affect severely impact European and global economic growth.
—Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 8 July 2025
The thorny question is often referred to as the human ceiling assumption.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 3 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for thorny
Recent Examples of Synonyms for thorny
Adjective
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This plant is recognizable by its characteristic arrangement of leaves growing in groups of three with edges that vary from smooth to jagged.—
Christopher P. Holstege,
CNN Money,
17 Aug. 2025
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Beads of sweat dripped in jagged lines from Brandis Rogers’ temples and the nape of her neck.—
Briah Lumpkins,
Charlotte Observer,
14 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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This deep understanding of local transportation patterns would have been difficult with rapid multi-city expansion.—
Tima Bansal,
Forbes.com,
8 Aug. 2025
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But even though scientists have been able to discover thousands of planets orbiting stars beyond our solar system in recent years, including some around Proxima Centauri, which is fairly a dim star, it's been difficult to go planet-hunting around Alpha Centauri A and B, which orbit each other.—
Nell Greenfieldboyce,
NPR,
7 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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As a down on her luck Marine-turned-detective, Michelle is a prickly character whose moral compass is often quite confusing.—
Katie Campione,
Deadline,
18 Aug. 2025
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The loss of so many led to a population explosion of sea urchins — the prickly species that sea stars commonly eat — along the West Coast over the past decade.—
Paul Rogers,
Mercury News,
5 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Yermak’s been a pivotal conduit for Ukraine in negotiating with the U.S. and its European allies, particularly in pushing for tougher sanctions on Russia.—
Chris Massaro,
FOXNews.com,
14 Aug. 2025
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Breaking through as in independent act has never been tougher.—
James Hibberd,
HollywoodReporter,
14 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Using too much detergent leaves soapy residue in fabrics, trapping dirt, bacteria, and hard water minerals, which leaves clothes looking dull, feeling stiff and scratchy, and smelling bad.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
8 Aug. 2025
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The effects can be felt right away, says the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), with symptoms including a scratchy throat, coughing, trouble breathing, and chest pain.—
Rebecca Schneid,
Time,
2 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Federated Learning: This privacy-preserving technique allows AI models to learn from decentralized data across games and platforms without compromising user privacy, enhancing moderation without centralizing sensitive data.—
Anees Ali Khan,
Forbes.com,
8 Aug. 2025
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Not all acres are equal, of course, but there are myriad existing laws to protect areas that are sensitive for ecological, cultural, or other good reasons.—
Tim McDonnell,
semafor.com,
7 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Previous reports by other news outlets have highlighted problematic behaviors by Meta chatbots related to children.—
Ethan Baron,
Mercury News,
16 Aug. 2025
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The horror short follows a young woman who makes a ghastly deal with a witch in exchange for her problematic boyfriend.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
15 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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In interviews with more than 30 lawmakers, political figures, supporters, friends, and critics, Mamdani emerges as both more interesting and more complicated than the caricatures suggest.—
Mark Chiusano,
Time,
14 Aug. 2025
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Some say the video represents a rising crime problem in the city, but crime statistics paint a more complicated picture.—
Dan Horn,
The Enquirer,
14 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Thorny.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/thorny. Accessed 22 Aug. 2025.
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