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Synonyms

prickly

American  
[prik-lee] / ˈprɪk li /

adjective

pricklier, prickliest

  1. full of or armed with prickles.

  2. full of troublesome points.

    a prickly problem.

  3. prickling; smarting.

    a prickly sensation.
prickly British  
/ ˈprɪklɪ /

adjective

  1. having or covered with prickles

  2. stinging or tingling

  3. bad-tempered or irritable

  4. full of difficulties; knotty

    a prickly problem
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • prickliness noun
  • unprickly adjective

Etymology

Origin of prickly

First recorded in 1570–80; prickle + -y 1

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

You’ve been up Kindcreek Road before; it cuts through a wild patch of hill country, flanked by fruiting prickly pears and disheveled oak.

From Literature

She could be a little prickly, and even cantankerous with the other nurses sometimes.

From Literature

Chalamet’s loss capped off a prickly night for the actor, who dodged a bit of mud slung in the direction of his gleaming white suit.

From The Wall Street Journal

The stubble of weeds was prickly under my feet.

From Literature

In “Luna Likes,” the prickly protagonist is directly inspired by her experiences growing up, as well as the bond she shared with her dad over Bourdain’s “Parts Unknown” show.

From Los Angeles Times

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.