prickly
adjective
prick·ly
ˈpri-k(ə-)lē 
pricklier; prickliest
1
: full of or covered with prickles
especially
: distinguished from related kinds by the presence of prickles
3
a
: troublesome, vexatious
prickly issues
b
: easily irritated
had a prickly disposition
prickliness
noun
Examples of prickly in a Sentence
The plant's leaves are prickly.
she tried to ignore the feel of the prickly grass against her skin
Recent Examples on the Web
The Dungeon Master side is a bit more prickly as there’s a combat tracker to write on and a small rules booklet to manage.
—
Rob Wieland, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
Much of its body is covered in prickly sensory hair-like structures called setae, researchers said.
—Lauren Liebhaber
september 8, Miami Herald, 8 Sep. 2025
While Jones and Robinson are fine in the leads — Robinson particularly nails Charlie’s ever-evolving combination of sweet and prickly — they aren’t given the space to relax into their chemistry, let alone to show us who these characters are beyond two sets of clashing personality traits.
—Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 4 Sep. 2025
Slipping into Roy’s mind, which is sometimes as imperious and prickly as her mother’s, is a fascinating experience.
—Jasmine Vojdani, Vulture, 2 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for prickly
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Rob Wieland, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
Much of its body is covered in prickly sensory hair-like structures called setae, researchers said.
—Lauren Liebhaber
september 8, Miami Herald, 8 Sep. 2025
While Jones and Robinson are fine in the leads — Robinson particularly nails Charlie’s ever-evolving combination of sweet and prickly — they aren’t given the space to relax into their chemistry, let alone to show us who these characters are beyond two sets of clashing personality traits.
—Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 4 Sep. 2025
Slipping into Roy’s mind, which is sometimes as imperious and prickly as her mother’s, is a fascinating experience.
—Jasmine Vojdani, Vulture, 2 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for prickly
Cite this Entry
“Prickly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prickly. Accessed 15 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
prickly
adjective
prick·ly
ˈprik-lē
-ə-lē
pricklier; prickliest
1
: full of or covered with prickles
prickly plants
2
: marked by slight stinging or tingling
a prickly sensation
prickliness
noun
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