How to Use thorn in a Sentence

thorn

noun
  • So that was the rose, here's the thorn.
    — Ed Masley, AZCentral.com, 26 Feb. 2026
  • Beyond the trees a fence of thorns.
    — Literary Hub, 19 Feb. 2026
  • Injuries proved to be the thorn.
    — Joel Lorenzi, New York Times, 31 May 2026
  • And a thorn in the side of right-wing media.
    — Benjamin Svetkey, HollywoodReporter, 23 Feb. 2026
  • Collins has long been a thorn in the side of Democrats as well.
    — Jay Stahl, USA Today, 30 Apr. 2026
  • No, much better to use the tongue like a spoon, or a thorn.
    — Courtney Kampa, The Atlantic, 21 Sep. 2025
  • Make sure to wear leather gloves to protect your hands from rose thorns.
    — Lauren Landers, The Spruce, 10 Jan. 2026
  • Future thorn in the Rangers’ side?
    — Evan Grant, Dallas Morning News, 6 Mar. 2026
  • Looking back, both Joes were a thorn in my side.
    — Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 4 Dec. 2025
  • In large numbers, crown-of-thorns starfish can mow down wide swaths of coral reef.
    — National Geographic, 3 Mar. 2020
  • It is often caused by a thorn puncture.
    — Leslie Baumann, Miami Herald, 13 Feb. 2026
  • The law has proven to be a thorn in the side of gig companies.
    — Sara Ashley O'Brien, CNN, 8 Oct. 2020
  • But the Saints have been a thorn in their side in recent years.
    — Richard Morin, USA TODAY, 15 Sep. 2022
  • My home as a child had one, and in my case, those thorn punctures can hurt for weeks.
    — oregonlive, 27 Nov. 2021
  • The next morning, a tiny thorn got wedged into the sole of my son’s foot.
    — Anja Mutic, Travel + Leisure, 22 Sep. 2023
  • But there have been thorns among the roses, some with roots in his native land.
    — Bob Hohler, BostonGlobe.com, 20 July 2019
  • Always wear thick leather gloves to protect against this plant's sharp thorns.
    — Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 Dec. 2025
  • Let’s go through your roses and thorns for some of the show’s most iconic scenes.
    — Reshma Gopaldas, Vogue, 17 Feb. 2026
  • Let go of a thorn in your side as the sun meets Chiron.
    — Usa Today, USA Today, 16 Apr. 2026
  • Gallaher has been a thorn in the side of the village for years.
    — Corrinne Hess, Journal Sentinel, 3 Jan. 2023
  • This is a youthful, elegant rose that still has all its thorns.
    — Ariel Wodarcyk, InStyle, 9 Apr. 2026
  • Use clean pruners to trim away shoots, thorns, or roots along the soil and to help maintain the tree’s size.
    — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 9 Apr. 2026
  • Use clean pruners to trim away shoots, thorns, or roots along the soil and to help maintain the tree’s size.
    — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 17 Dec. 2025
  • Well, every rose has its thorn, and injuries are Lewis'.
    — John Laghezza, New York Times, 19 June 2026
  • How long will he be allowed to stay a thorn in Mr Prayuth’s side?
    — The Economist, 21 Nov. 2019
  • Its canes are reddish in color and covered with spiny thorns.
    — Carl R. Gold, Baltimore Sun, 7 Mar. 2026
  • Thanathorn has long been a thorn in the side of Prayuth's government.
    — Star Tribune, 20 Jan. 2021
  • Those critics may or may not prove to be a thorn in O’Brien’s side.
    — Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 10 July 2025
  • As a bonus, currant shrubs lack the thorns found on many other berry bushes.
    — Anne Readel, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Feb. 2026
  • Wear protective clothing and leather gloves, as thorns found along the stems hurt.
    — Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 10 May 2026

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'thorn.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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