hairy

adjective

ˈher-ē How to pronounce hairy (audio)
Definition of hairynext
1
as in shaggy
covered with or as if with hair a hairy spider

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in fuzzy
made of or resembling hair found enough hairy clumps around the house to make another cat a hairy mass of fiberglass insulation

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in difficult
requiring exceptional skill or caution in performance or handling landing on that airstrip is always a hairy proposition

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in disturbing
marked by or causing agitation or uncomfortable feelings the snowstorm made for a hairy commute back home that evening

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 hairy Chickweed, henbit, hairy bittercress, dead nettle and shepherd’s purse all germinate in late summer and early autumn. — Manjot Kaur Sidhu, The Conversation, 10 Sep. 2026 As Roy tries to make an Irish goodbye, Jamie affectionately razzes him for being hairy. — Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 9 Sep. 2026 The industry is obsessed with tracking who has the biggest model to solve the hairiest problems. — Don Schuerman, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2026 The southern hairy-nosed wombat is the smallest of three species of wombats, all found in Australia, typically weighing between 45 and 65 pounds. — Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 16 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for hairy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hairy
  1. shaggy
  2. fuzzy
  3. difficult
  4. disturbing
  5. silky
  6. rough
  7. sensitive
  8. uneasy
Adjective
  • The Roger Clubhouse has more than initially meets the eye with its all-white colorway, as the laces feature a shaggy texture and two red stitch embellishments are added at the heel.
    — Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Aptly named after Abdalla’s character, the Allie-Cat cut echoes Allie Hayes’s effortless confidence with shaggy layers of tousled brunette waves with golden-blonde highlights that had fans swooning for more than just hot hockey players.
    — Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of shaggy
Adjective
  • The mascot was a fuzzy yellow monster with a tough guy attitude, topped with a sun-like head.
    — Luisa Yanez, Miami Herald, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Shop my favorite fall shoes from Uggs, and more similar fuzzy slip-on loafers, below.
    — Kaitlin Clapinski, InStyle, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of fuzzy
Adjective
  • Jarman, who came in as the defending champion on the event, put together a more difficult routine but was nicked by judges for his execution.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026
  • This is the last remaining game on the schedule that should be very difficult.
    — David Troy OutKick, FOXNews.com, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of difficult
Adjective
  • One of the most disturbing reasons given was that the DOT will never install a speed reducer closer than a distance of 1,000 feet (nearly a quarter of a mile) from a speed camera.
    — Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Family members reported objects disappearing, beds lifting, unexplained odors, and other disturbing occurrences in the house.
    — Frannie Comstock, Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of disturbing
Adjective
  • Dishes like silky linguini with clams and sweet cherry tomatoes served with fresh burrata still linger in memory.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Flavorless but crisp-enough crust, silky smooth pumpkin filling.
    — Alex Beggs, Bon Appetit Magazine, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of silky
Adjective
  • The Pistons have raced out to a hot start, while the Knicks are still searching for answers after a rough opening week.
    — David Troy OutKick, FOXNews.com, 27 Oct. 2026
  • Molcajetes constructed of lava rock with pits creating a rough and not smooth nor easily cleanable surface were in the facility.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of rough
Adjective
  • Some highly sensitive issues include relations with the European Union and Russia, but the primary focus will be dealing with corruption.
    — JOVANA GEC, Arkansas Online, 27 Oct. 2026
  • There may be time-sensitive observations or decisions that need to be made before any instruction could arrive.
    — Dr. Najwa Aaraj, Forbes.com, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of sensitive
Adjective
  • But bond markets are already uneasy with Brazil's growing debt-to-GDP ratio, and are likely to demand an ever-higher premium if public spending rises significantly.
    — Jenni Reid, CNBC, 27 Oct. 2026
  • The effort is backed by an uneasy alliance between the right-wing Make America Healthy Again movement and progressives, both motivated by concerns over food safety.
    — Elijah Wolfson, Washington Post, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of uneasy

Browse Nearby Words

hair-trigger
hairy
hairy-chested
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hairy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hairy. Accessed 29 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of shindig

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
different halloween monsters in silhouette
A Monstrous Vocab Quiz Words That Go Bump in the Night
See All