thorny
Americanadjective
-
bearing or covered with thorns
-
difficult or unpleasant
a thorny problem
-
sharp
Other Word Forms
- thornily adverb
- thorniness noun
- unthorny adjective
Etymology
Origin of thorny
before 1000; Middle English; Old English thornig. See thorn, -y 1
Explanation
Thorny things are either sharp and spiky, like a thorny briar patch, or troublesome and difficult, like a thorny problem. Either way, they can be painful! When you tackle a thorny rosebush, you'll need thick gloves and sharp pruning shears. When you tackle a thorny issue at work or at school, on the other hand, you might need tools like diplomacy and intelligence. This figurative meaning of thorny is useful for describing especially complex or distressing issues, like a thorny political problem that divides a nation.
Vocabulary lists containing thorny
All The Feels: Touching Words For Textures
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Spelling Practice 1, Unit 5
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Part 2 Vocabulary (Unit 3)
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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.
Spain's colonisation of Mexico has become a thorny issue in recent years, prompting calls for an apology and an apparent diplomatic snub.
From BBC • Apr. 18, 2026
“They are still dragging out this thorny issue,” one member said.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 2026
Ahead of U.S.-Iranian talks in Pakistan over the weekend, Iran’s de facto control of the Strait of Hormuz remains a thorny issue, with traffic through the waterway still severely limited.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 10, 2026
“The Drama” contemplates thorny matters, but it’s not satire.
From Salon • Apr. 9, 2026
Scrub grass and thorny bushes covered its lower slopes; higher up a jagged tangle of bare rock thrust steep and sudden into the sky.
From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin
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.
