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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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of thorny
The culprit appeared to be tara flour, made from the seed pods of a thorny tree called Peruvian carob.
—
Sandee Lamotte, CNN Money, 3 Mar. 2026
But even before the letter came out, the politically thorny issue that nearly all of the Democrats lagging in the polls are people of color was raised by Becerra at a candidate forum Monday evening.
—Seema Mehta, Los Angeles Times, 3 Mar. 2026
In a state Capitol often threaded with thorny partisan debate and sharp ideological branches, Colorado lawmakers and advocacy groups from opposite ends of the political spectrum have found a clearing of common ground.
—Seth Klamann, Denver Post, 2 Mar. 2026
The thorniest questions are likely to center on traditional television.
—Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 2 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for thorny
Sandee Lamotte, CNN Money, 3 Mar. 2026
But even before the letter came out, the politically thorny issue that nearly all of the Democrats lagging in the polls are people of color was raised by Becerra at a candidate forum Monday evening.
—Seema Mehta, Los Angeles Times, 3 Mar. 2026
In a state Capitol often threaded with thorny partisan debate and sharp ideological branches, Colorado lawmakers and advocacy groups from opposite ends of the political spectrum have found a clearing of common ground.
—Seth Klamann, Denver Post, 2 Mar. 2026
The thorniest questions are likely to center on traditional television.
—Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 2 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for thorny
Recent Examples of Synonyms for thorny
Adjective
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Many of Iceland’s pools are immersed in nature, combining water therapy with dramatic landscapes of jagged mountains, waterfalls, rivers, and lava fields.—
Lauren Breedlove,
Outside,
3 Mar. 2026
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Two cars teetered at the jagged edge, their noses tipped skyward, almost frozen in the instant before a plunge.—
Ira Gorawara,
New York Times,
28 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Anyone who has seen the way the space works today can recognize that there are a lot of families who find this very, very difficult right now.—
Anna Moeslein,
Glamour,
9 Mar. 2026
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Demonstrating that was difficult due to natural fluctuations in temperatures.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Best known for its brilliant purple flowerhead and prickly parts, native thistle is a major source of food for pollinators.—
Carl R. Gold,
Baltimore Sun,
7 Mar. 2026
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Is someone that checked out, and that prickly a figure really about to be among the ranks of three-time Oscar-winning living legends Daniel Day-Lewis, Frances McDormand, Jack Nicholson, and Meryl Streep?—
Marcus Jones,
IndieWire,
4 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Finales can be tough, given how viewers chime in on social media.—
Yvonne Villarreal,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Mar. 2026
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With the Royals negotiations collapsing with Kansas, the state may be able to get away with a tougher negotiating position.—
Jack Harvel,
Kansas City Star,
5 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The inside material felt like a fuzzy (not scratchy) blanket that would be so great for travel or lounging around the house.—
Kaitlin Clapinski,
InStyle,
24 Feb. 2026
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The material is soft and never scratchy, and the tassels hold their shape well over time.—
Sophie Dodd,
Travel + Leisure,
23 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Fears around migration in Turkey Migration is a sensitive topic in Turkey, which at one point was hosting nearly 4 million Syrian refugees.—
Serra Yedikardes,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Mar. 2026
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Australia’s policy-sensitive three-year yield climbed to its highest level since 2011, while German bund futures slid to an almost 15-year low.—
Marcus Wong,
Bloomberg,
9 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Market concentration is not inherently problematic.—
Svetla Ben-Itzhak,
Space.com,
8 Mar. 2026
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Their bond is forged when the children’s TV show host helps the jaded journalist navigate a difficult relationship with his problematic father.—
Suzanne Van Atten,
AJC.com,
8 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Daylight saving time is meant to provide extra sunlight during the spring, summer and fall seasons, but in Indiana, there's a very complicated past with DST.—
Chris Sims,
IndyStar,
8 Mar. 2026
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But neither records nor details about their release have surfaced, underscoring how complicated such disclosures can be.—
Danya Gainor,
CNN Money,
7 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Thorny.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/thorny. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.
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