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 But then when the setting is Silicon Valley, what about dealing with thorny office politics and the particularities of an immigrant-heavy workforce? — Randy McMullen, Mercury News, 2 July 2026 From the thorny starting point of an Apache raid on a Western homestead, Costner weaves a complex, multi-perspective tale that wrestles with the romance and realities of American colonialism and mythmaking. — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 3 July 2026 And there are still subtle signs of a shift on the thorny issues around Israel within the caucus, after the liberal organization J Street endorsed Jeffries and his leadership team for the first time this Congress. — Nicholas Wu, semafor.com, 7 July 2026 Whatever the outcome — sinkhole or man-made — there is an even thornier issue, according to Alyssa Peterson, a longtime community activist who was instrumental in initially organizing the weekly clean-ups. — Kenneth R. Gosselin, Hartford Courant, 28 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for thorny

Recent Examples of Synonyms for thorny

Adjective

The slightest details, or the smallest bits of structure, are what stick out—what can feel like an amorphous ooze of nothingness suddenly snaps into place thanks to a rhythmic rattle or jagged vocal sample.

— Andrew Ryce, Pitchfork, 6 July 2026
Look at the jagged lines, the geometric shapes, the neon colour schemes, the tall collars, the billowing short sleeves.

— Jack Lang, New York Times, 5 July 2026

Definition of jagged

Adjective

Sarah Buck, Chicago Driving has become harder The rapid increase in bike lanes has made driving much more difficult and tedious, with numerous delays due to many streets being reduced to one lane in busy areas.

— Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 5 July 2026
Republican strategists have welcomed those nominations as an opening for attack in a difficult election year.

— Susan Page, USA Today, 5 July 2026

Definition of difficult

Adjective

At school, there are prickly Principal Anderson (Matt Oberg) and Donna (Amy Pietz, nice to see her), his good-hearted secretary, a champion of needy teens and, it will be revealed, Liz’s mother.

— Television Critic, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026
Set the scene Desert-meets-tropical-island, where succulents flourish like daisies in spring, and prickly cacti forests line the local roads into the capital of Willemstad.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 June 2026

Definition of prickly

Adjective

MacDonald agrees that some of Kiros' positions could put Democratic candidates in a tough spot.

— Shaun Boyd, CBS News, 2 July 2026
The 34 measures include cuts to income tax for low- and middle income families, an overhaul of the creaking pension system, tougher rules for employees' sick leave and a reduction of the country's stifling bureaucracy.

— ABC News, ABC News, 2 July 2026

Definition of tough

Adjective

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
While some of my linen pieces feel scratchy, this one is ultra soft and doesn’t irritate my sensitive skin.

— Shea Simmons, PEOPLE, 3 July 2026

Definition of scratchy

Adjective

Rescuers then wait intently for any indication of life, using sensitive microphones or telescopic cameras or simply pressing an ear against the rubble, hoping to detect a voice, a knock or the faintest movement.

— Fernanda Pesce, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026
So far, the administration has sued multiple states unsuccessfully in attempts to obtain sensitive voter-roll data to run through a federal database known as the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements, or SAVE, program.

— Hansi Lo Wang, NPR, 1 July 2026

Definition of sensitive

Adjective

Anticipation for the milestone holiday has been building for much of the year, serving as an opportunity for Americans to reflect on their complicated history as onetime colonists of an empire who became a superpower of their own.

— Steven Sloan, Los Angeles Times, 5 July 2026
The study authors caution that the model should be applied carefully to more complicated perovskites in which structural changes and dielectric effects occur simultaneously.

— Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 5 July 2026

Definition of complicated

Browse Nearby Words

thorns

thorny

thorough

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Thorny.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/thorny. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of thorny

adjective

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on thorny

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

gambol

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

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

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

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Popular in Wordplay

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes