thornier; thorniest
Synonyms of thornynext
1
: full of thorns
2
: full of difficulties or controversial points : ticklish
a thorny problem
thorniness noun

Examples of thorny in a Sentence

stay out of the thorny brambles unless you want a ton of scratches
Recent Examples on the Web
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The more urgent and thornier question is which version of AI Hollywood is actually talking about — and whether the industry has the sophistication, or the will, to tell the difference. Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 19 May 2026 The companies need approval from at least six regulators including state utility commissioners, in some cases appointed by governors and state legislators who are themselves trying to manage thorny AI politics. Rohan Goswami, semafor.com, 18 May 2026 Unlocking that value requires solving several big, thorny, intersecting problems. Chris Turlica, Forbes.com, 18 May 2026 The best bits of Body of Work are defined by the ideas that don’t center Skeletrix in the frame, the half-thoughts and thorny passages that breeze past if you aren’t locked in. Olivier Lafontant, Pitchfork, 15 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for thorny

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of thorny was before the 12th century

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Cite this Entry

“Thorny.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thorny. Accessed 22 May. 2026.

Kids Definition

thorny

adjective
thornier; thorniest
1
: full of or covered with thorns
thorny rose bushes
2
: full of difficulties
a thorny problem
thorniness noun

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