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 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

Adjective

But early reactions confirm Moonshot’s model is a solid one, even if more jagged than Anthropic's Fable or OpenAI's Sol in some applications.

— Christian Catalini, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026
While 2022’s Trouble the Water embraced the jagged edges of Show Me the Body’s sludgy punk-metal sound, Alone Together is a sleek and streamlined album that includes their most agreeable songs yet.

— Eli Enis, Pitchfork, 15 July 2026

Definition of jagged

Adjective

Unlike dogs, they cannot simply be taken on longer walks, often resist dietary changes, and can be difficult to medicate consistently, making GLP-1 therapies potentially attractive if clinical trials prove successful.

— Elsa Ohlen,Carolin Roth, CNBC, 18 July 2026
Their stories recount the devastation to homes and businesses, life in temporary shelters, and the difficult process of rebuilding or relocating.

— Michelle Oliva-Espinosa, Kansas City Star, 18 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

White, when give the chance, has displayed a diverse offensive game, a defensive bent and an ability to make tough shots.

— Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 17 July 2026
The stakes for new avatar don’t feel quite as high—the specific circumstances around the former was a perfect storm that'll be tough to duplicate—but the music isn’t any less potent for it.

— Lawrence Burney, Pitchfork, 16 July 2026

Definition of tough

Adjective

Symptoms of smoke inhalation include coughing, trouble breathing, wheezing, asthma attacks, stinging eyes, scratchy throat, runny nose and irritated sinuses, headaches, tiredness, chest pain and a fast heartbeat.

— Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 17 July 2026
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, 5 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

An official also noted at a briefing last week that testing has taken longer because the genome of cyclospora is more complicated than that of other parasites.

— Blake Ellis, CNN Money, 20 July 2026
As anyone who has searched for the perfect white T-shirt knows, finding wardrobe basics can prove surprisingly complicated.

— Sophie Wirt, InStyle, 19 July 2026

Definition of complicated

Browse Nearby Words

thorns

thorny

thorough

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“Thorny.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/thorny. Accessed 24 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of thorny

adjective

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