as in difficult
requiring exceptional skill or caution in performance or handling
this promises to be a spiny problem to negotiate
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of spiny
Lurking in spiny armor below the waves, sea urchin is a luscious and briny delicacy.
—
John Metcalfe, Mercury News, 11 June 2025
Leatherbacks have spiny papillae lining their mouth and esophagus.
—Kurt Snibbe, Oc Register, 6 June 2025
Some of these spiny characters, such as the field thistle, are native nectar sources for hummingbirds, butterflies, and other pollinators.
—Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 June 2025
This medium-sized toad, found in the Khumbu region, is distinguished by its large, flat head and spiny skin.
—Real-Time News Team, Miami Herald, 16 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for spiny
John Metcalfe, Mercury News, 11 June 2025
Leatherbacks have spiny papillae lining their mouth and esophagus.
—Kurt Snibbe, Oc Register, 6 June 2025
Some of these spiny characters, such as the field thistle, are native nectar sources for hummingbirds, butterflies, and other pollinators.
—Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 June 2025
This medium-sized toad, found in the Khumbu region, is distinguished by its large, flat head and spiny skin.
—Real-Time News Team, Miami Herald, 16 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for spiny
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spiny
Adjective
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Some students may face family challenges that affect their ability to get to school, and some changes to the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness test, such as its move to online instead of paper form, could be difficult for students who only access computers at school, Maldonado said.—
Keri Heath,
Austin American Statesman,
30 July 2025
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Diseases that are difficult to manage without early intervention, including diabetes, heart disease and cancer, place a significant burden on health care budgets and patient quality of life.—
Kim Praitano,
Sun Sentinel,
29 July 2025
Adjective
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Lamont, who had proposed boosting special education aid by $40 million — but not until July 2026 — countered that the state budget already was on pace to exceed the budget cap and that legislators needed to make tough choices and trim spending.—
Keith M. Phaneuf,
Hartford Courant,
2 Aug. 2025
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Stage eight on Saturday will mark the start of a tough weekend of reckoning for the GC riders in the mountains to conclude the Tour.—
Jessica Hopkins,
New York Times,
1 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Businesses cannot process sensitive data without obtaining consumer consent.—
Karoline Leonard,
Austin American Statesman,
30 July 2025
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There are some intense scenes During The Fantastic Four: First Steps, there are some intense scenes that may not be suitable for younger (or more sensitive) viewers.—
Jordana Comiter,
People.com,
29 July 2025
Adjective
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Carpet beetle larvae are usually about 1/8-inch long, tan, and covered in hairy bristles.—
Meghan Overdeep,
Southern Living,
30 July 2025
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The smelly, hairy animals with terrible eyesight are actually a type of mammal known as a collared peccary.—
Shelby Slade,
AZCentral.com,
24 July 2025
Adjective
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The motivation behind the trend is understandable—no one wants sticky detergent dripping all over their hands or laundry room.—
Kendall Bettle,
Better Homes & Gardens,
2 Aug. 2025
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The underside of the stones is bonded to the sticky asphalt cement.—
Tim Carter,
Hartford Courant,
2 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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That said, the negative reputation surrounding the last lines in Jones’ thorny adaptation — a punch-up from Ellison’s original text that’s meaner and more sexist, no doubt — seems outsized.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
11 July 2025
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However, women's health tech and privacy is a thorny issue.—
Emily Forlini,
PC Magazine,
11 July 2025
Adjective
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True resource guarding is a serious issue that often involves strong warning signals from the dog—and can be problematic if left unaddressed.—
Maria Morava,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 July 2025
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These are problematic, to say the least, as an exploit of the same could lead to the possibility of arbitrary code execution within the browser.—
Davey Winder,
Forbes.com,
24 July 2025
Adjective
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Ike Howard’s journey to the Oilers roster is a little more complicated.—
Allan Mitchell,
New York Times,
1 Aug. 2025
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Nevertheless, the Face Wrap sold out within 24 hours online, which speaks volumes about how complicated our relationship with our faces has become.—
Fiona Embleton,
Glamour,
31 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Spiny.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spiny. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.
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