PRICKLY Synonyms: 164 Similar and Opposite Words

prickly

adjective

ˈpri-k(ə-)lē

Definition of prickly

as in irritating

causing an unpleasant tingling sensation she tried to ignore the feel of the prickly grass against her skin

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in irritable

easily irritated or annoyed she dreaded having to deal with her prickly boss

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in thorny

having leaves or branches which are likely to cause a scratch waded carefully through the prickly bushes

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in difficult

requiring exceptional skill or caution in performance or handling a prickly issue that will outrage at least one special interest if not handled delicately

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of prickly Those perfectly pungent elements rip through the savory pastrami perfectly, infusing every bite with a slightly prickly tang. — Rachel Bernhard, jsonline.com, 9 Sep. 2026 Every so often, the British writer-director Mike Leigh makes a movie in which the stars — and the tartly casual dramatic scenes — line up, coalescing into a full-on vision of prickly humanity. — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 5 Sep. 2026 Federer didn’t have too many prickly relationships during his playing days, and there were plenty of candidates. — Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 30 Aug. 2026 Of course, even a D’Angelo scratch vocal makes for a pristine chorus, especially over a Dilla groove elegantly textured with prickly guitars and burbling marimbas. — Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 25 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for prickly

Recent Examples of Synonyms for prickly

Adjective

That tiny gesture may explain why secret copying can feel especially irritating.

— Alesandra Dubin, Glamour, 17 Sep. 2026
Despite its splashy unveiling, Project Zenith is more about making the OS less irritating for developers than adding any groundbreaking capabilities.

— Chris Hoffman, PC Magazine, 9 Sep. 2026

Definition of irritating

Adjective

Coach There’s no better feeling than walking into your last show of the day, irritable and hungry, only to discover that snacks are being served.

— Anna Grace Lee, Vogue, 17 Sep. 2026
If a relative or housemate seems irritable, ask what’s going on instead of working around the mood.

— Tarot.com, Chicago Tribune, 11 Sep. 2026

Definition of irritable

Adjective

Ibrahim has spent almost a decade helping Google DeepMind build artificial intelligence and stay ahead of the thorny ethical, and downright existential, questions that surround the rapidly advancing technology.

— Corynn Winston, CNBC, 6 Oct. 2026
The ad and accusations are the latest example of how the Epstein files have become a thorny political issue for Republicans.

— Lauren Green, The Washington Examiner, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of thorny

Adjective

Performances across the board are strong, even if the characterizations themselves are more difficult to embrace.

— Guy Lodge, Variety, 11 Oct. 2026
Making short-haul rail more competitive Parallel argues that its system could open routes that are currently difficult for conventional rail services to serve economically, particularly journeys under 500 miles.

— Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 11 Oct. 2026

Definition of difficult

Adjective

Ramsey is one of TV’s hottest actors right now, with previous roles including the fiery Lyanna Mormont in Game of Thrones, survivalist Ellie in The Last of Us and drug addict Kelsey in Time.

— Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 8 Oct. 2026
The operation has not been publicly announced, but was met with fiery reaction from Newsom.

— Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of fiery

Adjective

Another network had received the notification by late Saturday, according to a person familiar with the situation, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to share sensitive details.

— Miriam Waldvogel, Arkansas Online, 12 Oct. 2026
Pictet seemed sensitive to the moral risk of going into Syria for the wrong reasons.

— Ben Taub, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of sensitive

Adjective

The look is crisp, angular, and metallic, with lots of straight lines and slender silhouettes, and sits in pleasing contrast alongside luscious velvet and scratchy linen, rough stone, warm terracotta, or grainy timber.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Sep. 2026
Winning ugly has become a kind of superpower for her, in the years when scratchy form emerged more often than not.

— Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026

Definition of scratchy

Browse Nearby Words

prickling

prickly

pricks

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Style

“Prickly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prickly. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of prickly

adjective

Example Sentences

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