1
2
as in irritable
easily irritated or annoyed
she dreaded having to deal with her prickly boss
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
4
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of prickly
As a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Biden tried to smooth over rough patches between Carter and foreign leaders, particularly the prickly German chancellor.
—
Maureen Groppe, USA TODAY, 30 Dec. 2024
There’s appealing sweetness to his scenes with Ellis, and great comic energy to his scenes with the excellently prickly Estrada, a complete revelation in what is easily her highest profile role to date.
—Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Nov. 2024
Cha-il’s prickly attitude doesn’t soften much despite the good example set by the naïve rookie auditor Han-soo (Lee Jung-ha).
—Simon Abrams, New York Times, 27 Dec. 2024
Paul is Roy, the prickly guy whose sarcastic exterior hides a soppy desire to be loved.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 24 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for prickly 
Maureen Groppe, USA TODAY, 30 Dec. 2024
There’s appealing sweetness to his scenes with Ellis, and great comic energy to his scenes with the excellently prickly Estrada, a complete revelation in what is easily her highest profile role to date.
—Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Nov. 2024
Cha-il’s prickly attitude doesn’t soften much despite the good example set by the naïve rookie auditor Han-soo (Lee Jung-ha).
—Simon Abrams, New York Times, 27 Dec. 2024
Paul is Roy, the prickly guy whose sarcastic exterior hides a soppy desire to be loved.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 24 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for prickly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prickly
Adjective
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Of all the teams to surpass Texas Tech this century, TCU’s evolution would be the most painful, or at least irritating.—
Mac Engel,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
15 Jan. 2025
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Some people at the time feared that this incredibly irritating way of speaking would stick around.—
Kaitlyn Tiffany,
The Atlantic,
13 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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By the end, Liverpool’s players seemed tired and Klopp was irritable, clearly in need of a rest.—
Simon Hughes,
The Athletic,
20 Jan. 2025
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The trio’s sixth record is charmingly irritable in both of its moods: hopped up on fluffy coffee while cracking baseball jokes, or dragging out downbeats and lamenting power structures to goad listeners with mounting anticipation.—
Madison Bloom,
Pitchfork,
4 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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This means tackling the thorny issues of four-year college costs and the overall value of college degrees with greater urgency.—
Jamie Merisotis,
Forbes,
15 Jan. 2025
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Access to television broadcasts has been a thorny issue for many fans of the Charlotte Hornets.—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
14 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Simplifying Complexity Through Narratives Leaders often need to communicate complex strategies or concepts, which can be difficult for teams to fully grasp.—
Paola Cecchi-Dimeglio,
Forbes,
18 Jan. 2025
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The emotional weight of losing that independence is difficult to quantify, but its impact is profound.—
John Hope Bryant,
TIME,
18 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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In some ways, Ms. Meloni has provided a road map for hard-right leaders seeking to win and hold power in Europe: Talk a fiery game, but tack to the center on some issues — most notably support for Ukraine.—
Jim Tankersley,
New York Times,
23 Jan. 2025
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For the occasion, Queen Letizia leaned into a fiery red colorway, wearing a bold red pantsuit with coordinated trousers and double-breasted blazer.—
Julia Teti,
WWD,
23 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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The highest point, a jagged cluster called the Bavella Needles, soars more than 6,000 feet.—
Sara Lieberman,
Travel + Leisure,
21 Jan. 2025
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Now, an apologetic Martin, who says the damage to the bluff was unintentional, has won city of Miami approval for an unprecedented fix — hiring a skilled stonemason to recreate the missing top two-and-a-half feet of the exposed, naturally jagged rock outcropping.—
Andres Viglucci,
Miami Herald,
14 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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During the 2024 presidential campaign, as Musk embraced the Republican Party and then Trump, his pro-China views brought him into conflict with parts of the MAGA coalition, including on the sensitive topic of immigration.—
John Hyatt,
Forbes,
18 Jan. 2025
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Allergies acting up: Homeowners who are sensitive to dust, pollen, or animal hair may notice their allergies acting up before anything else.—
Daley Quinn,
Southern Living,
18 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Evidence of this residue can be seen as water spots or etching glass surfaces, clean laundry that feels stiff and scratchy, and toilet bowl rings that trap bacteria.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
22 Jan. 2025
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Short-Term Effects of Inhaling Wildfire Smoke Breathing smoke can cause irritation in the airways, with symptoms such as coughing, a sore or scratchy throat and wheezing.—
Paul Du Quenoy,
Newsweek,
9 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near prickly
Cite this Entry
“Prickly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prickly. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.
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