thornier; thorniest
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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Join Our Other Game Discussions Want to be part of the conversation about New York Times Games, or maybe get some help with a particularly thorny puzzle? Sam Corbin, New York Times, 22 Apr. 2025 Despite a recent pause on some tariffs, Apple remains in a particularly thorny spot as Donald Trump's trade war spikes costs in the tech company's iPhone manufacturing hub, China. ArsTechnica, 11 Apr. 2025 Carefully spoon out the thorny flower portions at the center of the artichoke, and pour in a bit of lemon juice to help prevent browning. Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 Mar. 2025 None ending up doing so, with the justices holding up a strong interpretation of it in two thorny cases involving X (then Twitter) and Google around terrorism and content hosted on each platform. Maria Curi, Axios, 27 Mar. 2025 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 1 May. 2025.

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

More from Merriam-Webster on thorny

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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