prickly
adjective
prick·ly
ˈpri-k(ə-)lē 
pricklier; prickliest
1
: full of or covered with prickles
especially
: distinguished from related kinds by the presence of prickles
3
a
: troublesome, vexatious
prickly issues
b
: easily irritated
had a prickly disposition
prickliness
noun
Examples of prickly in a Sentence
The plant's leaves are prickly.
she tried to ignore the feel of the prickly grass against her skin
Recent Examples on the Web
So start scrolling to discover the products our touchiest of testers trust with their prickly complexions.
—
Sophia Panych, Allure, 16 Sep. 2025
When the sun sets in the Pacific Northwest, indigo skies push up against a treeline of prickly Douglas firs and spacious hemlocks.
—Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 16 Sep. 2025
The Dungeon Master side is a bit more prickly as there’s a combat tracker to write on and a small rules booklet to manage.
—Rob Wieland, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
Much of its body is covered in prickly sensory hair-like structures called setae, researchers said.
—Lauren Liebhaber
september 8, Miami Herald, 8 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for prickly
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Sophia Panych, Allure, 16 Sep. 2025
When the sun sets in the Pacific Northwest, indigo skies push up against a treeline of prickly Douglas firs and spacious hemlocks.
—Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 16 Sep. 2025
The Dungeon Master side is a bit more prickly as there’s a combat tracker to write on and a small rules booklet to manage.
—Rob Wieland, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
Much of its body is covered in prickly sensory hair-like structures called setae, researchers said.
—Lauren Liebhaber
september 8, Miami Herald, 8 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for prickly
Cite this Entry
“Prickly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prickly. Accessed 19 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
prickly
adjective
prick·ly
ˈprik-lē
-ə-lē
pricklier; prickliest
1
: full of or covered with prickles
prickly plants
2
: marked by slight stinging or tingling
a prickly sensation
prickliness
noun
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