THORNY Synonyms: 63 Similar and Opposite Words

thorny

adjective

ˈthȯr-nē

Definition of thorny

as in jagged

having leaves or branches which are likely to cause a scratch stay out of the thorny brambles unless you want a ton of scratches

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of thorny In Maryland, a successful amendment supported by Governor Wes Moore seems to have cleared a previously thorny legal path for Democrats to try and eke out an extra seat—a significant victory, especially in light of the amendment’s confusing wording. — Jon Allsop, New Yorker, 5 Nov. 2026 Debanking, consumer fees, credit availability, digital assets and their relationships with federal regulators already present thorny problems for them. — Adonis Hoffman, Washington Post, 5 Nov. 2026 The Nature of Introspection The bigger, thornier question is whether anomaly detection should count as introspection. — Ben Brubaker, Quanta Magazine, 4 Nov. 2026 Today, Megan and STAT contributor Edward Chen bring us a follow-up on the thorny ethical questions about developing the procedure. — Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 3 Nov. 2026 See All Example Sentences for thorny

Recent Examples of Synonyms for thorny

Adjective

John Homme sings at the jagged, forlorn beginning of the ninth Queens of the Stone Age album.

— Jon Dolan, Rolling Stone, 29 Oct. 2026
As with his previous films, Iñárritu tells his story using scenes out of order so that the pieces fall together in a jagged form that heightens the tension.

— Ray Bennett, HollywoodReporter, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of jagged

Adjective

The pilot must compensate manually using the controller, which can be difficult if the aircraft is far away or difficult to see.

— Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 8 Nov. 2026
The chocolatey all-suede style was first released in October 2023 and has become increasingly difficult to track down over the years, with certain sizes commanding premium prices on the secondary market.

— Riley Jones, Footwear News, 7 Nov. 2026

Definition of difficult

Adjective

The noodles vibrate with heat, ricocheting between the prickly Sichuan pepper, hot garlic, chiles and soothing sesame.

— Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 2 Nov. 2026
The accent was particularly important to get right, as Heumann’s Brooklyn upbringing was a huge part of her life, and indicative of her prickly personality.

— Kristen Lopez, IndieWire, 2 Nov. 2026

Definition of prickly

Adjective

The Heat now returns home, but the competition is about to get tougher.

— Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 11 Nov. 2026
Councilwoman Willis has been a tough negotiator, challenging us to work with the City of Dallas transportation department to identify and fund meaningful traffic enhancements.

— CBS News, CBS News, 10 Nov. 2026

Definition of tough

Adjective

How To Air Dry Jeans Properly One of the downfalls that comes with air drying jeans is ending up with a pair that feels stiff or scratchy.

— Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 1 Nov. 2026
Expect a gritty or scratchy feeling, burning, itching, redness, blurred vision during tasks and the sense that something is stuck in the eye.

— Samantha Agate, Sacbee.com, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of scratchy

Adjective

State officials had provided a version of the rolls that withheld such sensitive personal information, citing privacy concerns.

— Mia Cathell, The Washington Examiner, 2 Nov. 2026
An Israeli military official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media or to discuss sensitive operational matters, also confirmed the withdrawal.

— Francesca Ebel, Washington Post, 2 Nov. 2026

Definition of sensitive

Adjective

What emerges from Carrère’s excavation of his mother’s past is a strikingly nuanced portrait of a brilliant, problematic scholar.

— Madeleine Wulfahrt, New Yorker, 4 Nov. 2026
Many legal experts, as well as the European Commission and the EU's top court, agree that reforms to the justice system introduced by PiS while in power were highly problematic.

— ABC News, ABC News, 3 Nov. 2026

Definition of problematic

Adjective

But if the aircraft also loses access to reliable navigation data, the situation can become considerably more complicated.

— Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 8 Nov. 2026
But at the same time, domestic attacks involving guns have increased this year, leaving law enforcement, advocates and other criminal justice stakeholders taking stock of a complicated year.

— Caroline Kubzansky, Chicago Tribune, 8 Nov. 2026

Definition of complicated

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thorns

thorny

thorough

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“Thorny.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/thorny. Accessed 12 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of thorny

adjective

Example Sentences

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