thorny

[ thawr-nee ]
See synonyms for: thornythorniness on Thesaurus.com

adjective,thorn·i·er, thorn·i·est.
  1. abounding in or characterized by thorns; spiny; prickly.

  1. overgrown with thorns or brambles.

  2. painful; vexatious: a thorny predicament.

  3. full of difficulties, complexities, or controversial points: a thorny question.

Origin of thorny

1
before 1000; Middle English; Old English thornig.See thorn, -y1

Other words for thorny

Other words from thorny

  • thorn·i·ly, adverb
  • thorn·i·ness, noun
  • un·thorn·y, adjective

Words Nearby thorny

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How to use thorny in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for thorny

thorny

/ (ˈθɔːnɪ) /


adjectivethornier or thorniest
  1. bearing or covered with thorns

  2. difficult or unpleasant: a thorny problem

  1. sharp

Derived forms of thorny

  • thornily, adverb
  • thorniness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012