1
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
Beyond genre, category placement decisions remain thorny, particularly when two romantic leads must decide whether to split the lead and supporting roles.
—
Clayton Davis, Variety, 25 Sep. 2025
The fate of TikTok became increasingly wrapped up in sweeping trade talks between Washington and Beijing that include strategically thorny topics like tariffs, microchips, rare earth minerals and China's export of chemicals used to make the synthetic opioid fentanyl.
—John Ruwitch, NPR, 19 Sep. 2025
The crypto market has added new dynamics to those thorny issues in the decades that followed.
—Chris Groshong, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
At stake wasn’t just Harry’s connection with his father, Charles, but also his relationship with his brother Prince William, which remains a thorny and unresolved part of the family story.
—Simon Perry, PEOPLE, 16 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for thorny
Clayton Davis, Variety, 25 Sep. 2025
The fate of TikTok became increasingly wrapped up in sweeping trade talks between Washington and Beijing that include strategically thorny topics like tariffs, microchips, rare earth minerals and China's export of chemicals used to make the synthetic opioid fentanyl.
—John Ruwitch, NPR, 19 Sep. 2025
The crypto market has added new dynamics to those thorny issues in the decades that followed.
—Chris Groshong, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
At stake wasn’t just Harry’s connection with his father, Charles, but also his relationship with his brother Prince William, which remains a thorny and unresolved part of the family story.
—Simon Perry, PEOPLE, 16 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for thorny
Recent Examples of Synonyms for thorny
Adjective
-
With over 70,000 acres available to explore, visitors can take on the park’s 136 miles of trail, visit high alpine lakes, and climb jagged peaks.—
Evie Carrick,
Travel + Leisure,
27 Sep. 2025
-
Nowadays, wig enthusiasts are shaping their lace to mimic more of a natural hairline that may include a widow’s peak, and or more jagged instead of rigid hair line, so definitely keep that customization option in mind.—
Noel Cymone Walker,
StyleCaster,
23 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Abrego Garcia’s lawyers have argued that travel to Moshannon is far more difficult for members of the defense team based in Nashville, and not easier for those in New York.—
Christine Valora,
The Washington Examiner,
28 Sep. 2025
-
Senator Collins has proven in the past to be able to win in very difficult environments, 2008 being an example of that.—
Andrew Stanton,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Properly constructed, a Martinez is plush with Italian vermouth but still prickly with gin, enjoying the diamond-clarity of a Martini but with the silken luxuriousness of a Manhattan.—
Jeremy Repanich,
Robb Report,
27 Sep. 2025
-
Beleaguered American chipmaker Intel is finding itself in slightly less prickly situations lately.—
Yeo Boon Ping,
CNBC,
25 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
An editor approached me with a tough assignment of tasting, evaluating and reviewing a chicken Caesar wrap.—
Susan Selasky,
Freep.com,
27 Sep. 2025
-
The news that Aleksander Barkov will all but assuredly miss all of the 2025-26 season after undergoing surgery on Friday to repair the ACL and MCL in right knee was tough for the Florida Panthers to hear.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
27 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Hailing from South East London, the 24-year-old introduced herself voice first — scratchy but honeyed, and impossible to ignore.—
Thania Garcia,
Variety,
19 Sep. 2025
-
Sashay’s other trademark, beyond the glasses and the perpetual sense of exhaustion, is her endearing, distinctively scratchy voice.—
Kathryn VanArendonk,
Vulture,
15 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Windows 11 Pro gives you BitLocker encryption, Smart App Control, and biometric login support to help safeguard sensitive information.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
30 Sep. 2025
-
Phishing scams often use convincing logos and language to trick you into revealing sensitive information.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
30 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
But it’s proved to be especially problematic at a time when the typical student body is growing academically weaker.—
Joshua Rothman,
New Yorker,
30 Sep. 2025
-
No two players better personified Houston’s problematic response to injuries than Alvarez and center fielder Jake Meyers, who injured himself on July 9 while running out to his position before first pitch.—
Chandler Rome,
New York Times,
30 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The rust mantra is wisely chanted when searching for a Karmann Ghia, and restoring one is as complicated as restoring any Porsche 356 from the period.—
Robert Ross,
Robb Report,
26 Sep. 2025
-
But the reality is more complicated.—
Tiffani Jackson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
26 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Thorny.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/thorny. Accessed 2 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share