as in shaggy
covered with or as if with hair
although pigs look hairless, they're actually bristly creatures
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Recent Examples of bristly
Called Utah arrays, they are made of hard silicon and look a bit like the bristly part of a hairbrush.
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WIRED, 19 Aug. 2022
Thirteen Lives reminds me of Ron Howard's Apollo 13 for its bristly character moments, people caught in extremis.
—Joshua Rothkopf, EW.com, 6 Aug. 2022
Sandstrom’s most recent Squonk is a hairy, wart-covered monster with bristly, unkempt fur, fangs, and ears that curve down submissively.
—Steven Litt, cleveland, 19 Apr. 2020
Often, as a bonus, a librarian or teacher will lean in to give Daisy a kiss on her bristly snout, to general glee from the young audience.
—Nora McGreevy, BostonGlobe.com, 22 Aug. 2019
See all Example Sentences for bristly 
WIRED, 19 Aug. 2022
Thirteen Lives reminds me of Ron Howard's Apollo 13 for its bristly character moments, people caught in extremis.
—Joshua Rothkopf, EW.com, 6 Aug. 2022
Sandstrom’s most recent Squonk is a hairy, wart-covered monster with bristly, unkempt fur, fangs, and ears that curve down submissively.
—Steven Litt, cleveland, 19 Apr. 2020
Often, as a bonus, a librarian or teacher will lean in to give Daisy a kiss on her bristly snout, to general glee from the young audience.
—Nora McGreevy, BostonGlobe.com, 22 Aug. 2019
See all Example Sentences for bristly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bristly
Adjective
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Style insiders are going all in on the look, too; fashion month’s crowds were awash in brushed knits, and New Yorkers of all stripes have pulled out their shaggiest jumpers as sweater weather has descended upon the city.Jake Henry Smith, Glamour, 4 Nov. 2024
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Sofia’s haircut is an early sign of her rebellion; a shaggy mullet that calls back to Jane Fonda in the 1970s thriller Klute.Gavia Baker-Whitelaw, Vulture, 4 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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The violence is pretty hairy, and now and then it’s used for routine purposes of establishing a character’s depths of ice-cold pathology.Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune, 19 Sep. 2024
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Prince William is experimenting with a new look this summer, one that has been at the center of a hairy situation before.Stephanie Petit, Peoplemag, 12 Aug. 2024
Adjective
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This is the perfect shirt for that effortlessly chic style since the button-down is silky with a ton of movement and a bit of stretch.Alesandra Dubin, Travel + Leisure, 31 Oct. 2024
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Crafted from high-quality stretch jersey, this pair gets the sophisticated treatment, styled next to The Frankie Shop’s slouchy leather bomber jacket, Citizens of Humanity’s silky striped button-up, and a pair of leopard-print flats, also from Toteme.Laura Jackson, Vogue, 29 Oct. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near bristly
Cite this Entry
“Bristly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bristly. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.
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