thorny

adjective

ˈthȯr-nē How to pronounce thorny (audio)
Definition of thornynext
1
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

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2
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 The thorny issue of AI will of course be debated with Adriana Ramírez of Megatrax leading the discussion. — Anna Marie De La Fuente, Variety, 13 July 2026 The article photographed a room full of the women, heads thorny with stubble, smiling wildly off to the side at someone not in the frame. — Shyla Watson, PEOPLE, 13 July 2026 These traits alone don’t make this tree invasive, but the trees began cross-pollinating with other pear species, whose offspring create thorny thickets that smother native plants and habitat. — Erica Browne Grivas, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 July 2026 An untested 2024 law raises thorny questions about when any special election would occur, inviting potential court battles even as Republicans back Andy Barr and Democrats rally behind Charles Booker for 2027. — Bill Barrow, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for thorny
Recent Examples of Synonyms for thorny
  1. jagged
  2. difficult
  3. prickly
  4. tough
  5. scratchy
  6. sensitive
  7. problematic
  8. complicated
Adjective
  • Despite its two-hour-52-minute run time, its pace is absorbing, particularly after the jagged editing of the first hour.
    — Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 27 July 2026
  • Swaths of land left uncontrolled grew into carpets of invasive buffelgrass nearly right up to the jagged edge between the mountain and the sky.
    — Angus Chen, STAT, 22 July 2026
Definition of jagged
Adjective
  • Strickland said even getting equipment on the road during construction can be difficult for farmers.
    — Maven Navarro, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 July 2026
  • While following the money may be difficult, there are other signs of the growing role of organized crime in politics.
    — Mary Beth Sheridan, CNN Money, 25 July 2026
Definition of difficult
Adjective
  • That changed four months later when fellow Big Bang supporting player John Ross Bowie also inked a talent deal with WBTV to reprise his role as prickly plasma physicist Barry Kripke.
    — Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 17 July 2026
  • In turn, Nolan has sacrificed Odysseus himself to serve his own needs, scrapping the character’s prickly personality to Trojan-horse a message about how empires collapse.
    — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 15 July 2026
Definition of prickly
Adjective
  • There were tough conversations between Naylor and Cleveland’s coaches and front office.
    — Zack Meisel, New York Times, 24 July 2026
  • Villegas, after a tough primary election battle against Assemblymember Jasmeet Bains, has roughly $572,000.
    — Mathew Miranda, Sacbee.com, 23 July 2026
Definition of tough
Adjective
  • Drummer Jay Russell kept to stark rattles, Sam Shipstone patched in his scratchy electric guitar, and Ryan Needham needled through grumbling basslines.
    — Victoria Borlando, Pitchfork, 24 July 2026
  • Your dry scratchy eyes also aren’t a figment of your imagination.
    — Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 22 July 2026
Definition of scratchy
Adjective
  • As the man building rings and providing backdrops with the event names on them for big press conferences, he is often trusted with sensitive information long before it is announced.
    — Chris McKenna, New York Times, 22 July 2026
  • The risk manager requested anonymity to discuss sensitive business interests.
    — David Goldman, CNN Money, 22 July 2026
Definition of sensitive
Adjective
  • The affected vehicles, which were built between 2021 and 2026, feature a problematic wiring harness that increases the risk of engine fires.
    — Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 24 July 2026
  • Particulars matter Haiti observers warn that considering the country’s vexing history with electoral fraud, violence, problematic votes and post-election crises, the particulars of its electoral machinery do matter.
    — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 24 July 2026
Definition of problematic
Adjective
  • My mom was at least as complicated as my dad, in terms of gender, mental illness, depression.
    — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 26 July 2026
  • Trade grades are rarely straightforward, and this one is a little more complicated because the players lack lengthy track records.
    — Chad Jennings, New York Times, 26 July 2026
Definition of complicated

Browse Nearby Words

thorns
thorny
thorough
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Cite this Entry

“Thorny.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/thorny. Accessed 30 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of thorny for Spanish Speakers

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