as in shaggy
covered with or as if with hair
although pigs look hairless, they're actually bristly creatures
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 bristly
Step 3: Tidy the Harvest When the garlic is fully cured with papery skins and brittle, brown leaves, brush away any excess soil with your fingers and clip back the bristly roots.
—
Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Aug. 2024
Called Utah arrays, they are made of hard silicon and look a bit like the bristly part of a hairbrush.
—WIRED, 19 Aug. 2022
Thirteen Lives reminds me of Ron Howard's Apollo 13 for its bristly character moments, people caught in extremis.
—Joshua Rothkopf, EW.com, 6 Aug. 2022
Hedgehogs are small mammals, known for their coats, which are covered with bristly spines.
—Washington Post, 10 Mar. 2021
See All Example Sentences for bristly
Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Aug. 2024
Called Utah arrays, they are made of hard silicon and look a bit like the bristly part of a hairbrush.
—WIRED, 19 Aug. 2022
Thirteen Lives reminds me of Ron Howard's Apollo 13 for its bristly character moments, people caught in extremis.
—Joshua Rothkopf, EW.com, 6 Aug. 2022
Hedgehogs are small mammals, known for their coats, which are covered with bristly spines.
—Washington Post, 10 Mar. 2021
See All Example Sentences for bristly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bristly
Adjective
-
Continue tossing with the fork until the dough is just evenly damp and shaggy, being careful not to overwork the dough too much.—
The New York Times News Service Syndicate,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
20 May 2026
-
Wearing an Old 97’s T-shirt that hints at his Texas days, the shaggy haired promoter is putting out small fires ahead of the first major show at the 4,500-seat Grind City Amp, a new venue six years in the making, whose soaring stage frames Bluff City’s riverside skyline.—
Chris Kenning,
USA Today,
15 May 2026
Adjective
-
And the score by Michael Abels (who collaborated with Jordan Peele on Get Out and Nope) is an all-timer, unsettling and steeped in dread to start and then frenetically nerve-shredding as things get hairier.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
17 May 2026
-
Where are hairy ghost pipefish found?—
Julia Gomez,
USA Today,
15 May 2026
Adjective
-
The texture is silky, balancing tropical-fruit richness with crisp vegetal notes.—
Joseph V Micallef,
Forbes.com,
17 May 2026
-
Around the movie’s 180-minute mark, a silky white cat named Leo appears on the scene, and this sudden burst of unpredictable energy might feel like a blessing.—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bristly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bristly. Accessed 23 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
