thorny

[ thawr-nee ]

adjective

, thorn·i·er, thorn·i·est.

1. abounding in or characterized by thorns; spiny; prickly.
2. thornlike.
3. overgrown with thorns or brambles.
4. painful; vexatious:

   a thorny predicament.

5. full of difficulties, complexities, or controversial points:

   a thorny question.

   Synonyms: ticklish, sticky, tough

thorny

/ ˈθɔːnɪ /

adjective

1. bearing or covered with thorns
2. difficult or unpleasant

   a thorny problem

3. sharp

Derived Forms

• ˈthorniness, noun
• ˈthornily, adverb

Other Words From

• thorni·ly adverb
• thorni·ness noun
• un·thorny adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of thorny¹

before 1000; Middle English; Old English thornig. See thorn, -y ¹

Example Sentences

Rodgers went 33 for 48 for 346 but got sacked five times and found Tampa Bay too thorny when Green Bay had chances.

From Washington Post

Inside the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security, officials are grappling with thorny questions about race, terrorism and free-speech rights, as some investigators question whether more could have been done to prevent last week’s violence.

From Washington Post

Some of the thorniest political differences, however, are local.

From Washington Post

While there was broad agreement that medical workers and nursing home residents should be the first to get vaccines, the question of which groups should come next has been thornier, with much of the decision-making left to states.

From Washington Post

Frequently confused with wild roses, these thorny bushes grow a crop of red berries that are often used as a trailside snack and a healthy tea.

From Popular-Science

Related Words

• awkward
• bothersome
• irksome
• nettlesome
• perplexing
• prickly
• sticky
• ticklish
• tricky
• troublesome
• unpleasant