as in shaggy
covered with or as if with hair
although pigs look hairless, they're actually bristly creatures
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Example Sentences
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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.
—
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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The Saja Boys are memorable creations of their own, an over-the-top collection of shaggy haircuts, dewy faces, and bright streetwear that instantly invokes the heartthrobs of BTS or Stray Kids.—
Wilson Chapman,
IndieWire,
11 July 2025
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The researchers found that climate shifts that underwrote the spread of grasslands allowed big sloths to arise, the shaggy mammals then altering those habitats to maintain open spaces best suited to big bodies capable of moving long distances.—
Riley Black,
Smithsonian Magazine,
11 July 2025
Adjective
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By July, deer antlers can be spotted in full velvet, which is when the antlers are covered in a soft, hairy skin due to the rapid growth phase of the bones.—
Greta Cross,
USA Today,
12 July 2025
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Visitors may notice that Ziggy is missing the hairy end segment of her tail known as the tail tuft.—
Jim Higgins,
jsonline.com,
8 July 2025
Adjective
-
The matching tennis necklace feels silky smooth and comfortable on the skin.—
Kate Matthams,
Forbes.com,
10 July 2025
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Certain brands may also have a dryer texture versus a silky, creamier one.—
Christina Manian,
Health,
10 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bristly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bristly. Accessed 22 Jul. 2025.
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