thornier; thorniest
1
: full of thorns
2
: full of difficulties or controversial points : ticklish
a thorny problem
thorniness noun

Examples of thorny in a Sentence

stay out of the thorny brambles unless you want a ton of scratches
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Going through that process for a real person with a thorny past was a much more difficult process than he was used to. Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 3 Dec. 2024 Politics have long been a thorny issue within Latinx families. Alex Zaragoza, Los Angeles Times, 28 Nov. 2024 Either way, a Trump presidency will not be a walk in the park for Europe—but just how thorny the path is remains to be seen. Byprarthana Prakash, Fortune Europe, 6 Nov. 2024 As per all flash-in-the-pan viral trends, the thorny matter eventually faded out and people moved onto other newer viral trends. Lance Eliot, Forbes, 22 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for thorny 

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of thorny was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near thorny

Cite this Entry

“Thorny.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thorny. Accessed 18 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

thorny

adjective
thornier; thorniest
1
: full of or covered with thorns
thorny rose bushes
2
: full of difficulties
a thorny problem
thorniness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on thorny

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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