1
2
as in difficult
requiring exceptional skill or caution in performance or handling
the candidate tried to avoid discussing his views on the thorny issue
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples of thorny in a Sentence
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of
Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback
about these examples.
Recent Examples on the Web
What makes these challenges particularly thorny is that traditional regulatory approaches may be insufficient to address them.
—
Josipa Majic Predin, Forbes, 22 Oct. 2024
And the duo hasn’t shied away from thorny topics like how the Israel-Hamas war or immigration policy may affect upcoming elections at the national, state, and local levels.
—Jackie Valley, The Christian Science Monitor, 22 Oct. 2024
The decision to target the Academy Museum follows a recent controversy surrounding an exhibition about the film industry’s Jewish founders, further emphasizing the thorny questions swirling around cultural institutions over their responsibility to confront social justice issues.
—Josh Rottenberg, Los Angeles Times, 24 Sep. 2024
Scenes of celebration, public adoration, seduction and romance mingle in the film’s tease – as its lead traverses a thorny yet exhilarating path toward self-acceptance.
—Holly Jones, Variety, 16 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for thorny 
Josipa Majic Predin, Forbes, 22 Oct. 2024
And the duo hasn’t shied away from thorny topics like how the Israel-Hamas war or immigration policy may affect upcoming elections at the national, state, and local levels.
—Jackie Valley, The Christian Science Monitor, 22 Oct. 2024
The decision to target the Academy Museum follows a recent controversy surrounding an exhibition about the film industry’s Jewish founders, further emphasizing the thorny questions swirling around cultural institutions over their responsibility to confront social justice issues.
—Josh Rottenberg, Los Angeles Times, 24 Sep. 2024
Scenes of celebration, public adoration, seduction and romance mingle in the film’s tease – as its lead traverses a thorny yet exhilarating path toward self-acceptance.
—Holly Jones, Variety, 16 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for thorny
Recent Examples of Synonyms for thorny
Adjective
-
The jagged edge piercing through your mundane reality.Angel Diaz, Billboard, 25 Oct. 2024
-
In addition to wrecking many businesses and private homes, the flooding in Chimney Rock tore up Main Street, creating a deep and jagged gash in the asphalt and completely demolishing the walkways along the riverfront.Marshall Crook, NBC News, 23 Oct. 2024
Adjective
-
Being able to create music has helped me through very difficult times.Amanda Peukert, SPIN, 1 Nov. 2024
-
Others worry about violence or difficult economic conditions in their homelands.Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 1 Nov. 2024
Adjective
-
Many Democrats likely fear incurring the wrath of Biden, who is notoriously prickly about his age.Jeffrey Sonnenfeld and Steven Tian, TIME, 29 June 2024
-
It’s got all the crowd-pleasing smoothness and refinement of a Whiskey Sour but with a prickly texture—if a Whiskey Sour is like petting a dog, a Rattlesnake is like petting a horse.Jason O'Bryan, Robb Report, 12 Oct. 2024
Adjective
-
The course reversal with the closure of the Los Angeles office followed a review of the Sister board that examined the tough market conditions that have been exacerbated by the pandemic, double Hollywood strikes and the ongoing industry contraction.Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 24 Oct. 2024
-
Among voters in this year’s South Carolina Republican primary, AP VoteCast found that close to two-thirds of military veterans and people in veteran households voted for Trump over former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, Trump’s toughest opponent in the 2024 Republican primary.Dan Merica, Los Angeles Times, 24 Oct. 2024
Adjective
-
Telltale warning signs of a cold usually include sneezing, runny nose, congestion, and scratchy throat.Sarah Bradley, Health, 6 Oct. 2024
-
But Frank was more the scratchy handwriting type, prone to splotch—not one to weep, let alone for long.Carlos Valladares, ARTnews.com, 4 Oct. 2024
Adjective
-
That’s because the skin inside your nostrils (known as mucosal skin) is super thin and sensitive, Dr. Shokeen explains.Jenna Ryu, SELF, 1 Nov. 2024
-
The latter two numbers are known to be quite sensitive to the business cycle.Harry Holzer, Forbes, 1 Nov. 2024
Adjective
-
The series, which emerged as a breakaway hit with season one in 2022, features a cast of college students who make problematic choices one after the next, in a squirming but can’t stop watching manner.Leigh Nordstrom, WWD, 28 Oct. 2024
-
Getting Remake From Hollywood & Italian Industry Vets Nicholas Hoult stars as Justin Kemp, a regional magazine writer and dedicated family man married to Allison (Zoey Deutch), who is nearing the end of a problematic pregnancy and needs her husband close by when he is summoned to jury duty.Pete Hammond, Deadline, 28 Oct. 2024
Adjective
-
The common narrative suggests that European founders are less driven, that venture capital in Europe lags far behind, and that the continent’s fragmented markets and complicated regulatory environments stifle creativity and innovation.Kjartan Rist, Forbes, 24 Oct. 2024
-
Things get complicated and reinforcements are sent from the capital to solve the case.Georg Szalai, The Hollywood Reporter, 24 Oct. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near thorny
Cite this Entry
“Thorny.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/thorny. Accessed 10 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share