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.
These include infidelities, unspoken longings, and thorny questions of land inheritance. The New Yorker, New Yorker, 2 June 2025 And the durable, water-repellent, quick-dry fabric has thus far shrugged off light snowfall, summer squalls, poison ivy, and even thorny underbrush. The Editors, Outside Online, 30 May 2025 In his first inaugural address in 1933, former President Franklin D. Roosevelt laid out a political axiom that would come to shrewdly diagnose America's thorny brand of insularity. Clare Morell, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 May 2025 Join Our Other Game Discussions Want to be part of the conversation about New York Times Games, or maybe get some help with a particularly thorny puzzle? Sam Corbin, New York Times, 28 May 2025 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

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Cite this Entry

“Thorny.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thorny. Accessed 14 Jun. 2025.

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

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