as in difficult
requiring exceptional skill or caution in performance or handling
this promises to be a spiny problem to negotiate
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of spiny
Zebra and quagga mussels, spiny water flea and dozens of other Eurasian organisms colonized the Great Lakes starting in the late 1900s after arriving in ballast water from transoceanic ships.
—
Christine Keiner, The Conversation, 28 Feb. 2025
Aloe vera is a spiny succulent plant that looks similar to agave.
—Atenea Morales De La Cruz, Vogue, 13 Feb. 2025
In late winter to early spring, tiny white flowers that produce the spiny seeds, which are each about the size of a peppercorn, appear.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 11 Feb. 2025
These small, spiny fish are notable for their bright yellow dorsal coloration.
—Stories By Real-Time News Team, With Ai Summarization, Miami Herald, 13 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for spiny
Christine Keiner, The Conversation, 28 Feb. 2025
Aloe vera is a spiny succulent plant that looks similar to agave.
—Atenea Morales De La Cruz, Vogue, 13 Feb. 2025
In late winter to early spring, tiny white flowers that produce the spiny seeds, which are each about the size of a peppercorn, appear.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 11 Feb. 2025
These small, spiny fish are notable for their bright yellow dorsal coloration.
—Stories By Real-Time News Team, With Ai Summarization, Miami Herald, 13 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for spiny
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spiny
Adjective
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Third, operational command of Kamikaze planes is difficult because results cannot be evaluated with any accuracy.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
11 Apr. 2025
-
Instead, the major drama comes in the form of Ivy’s corruption by her acting coach, as Ivy gradually goes method and becomes as difficult to work with as Marilyn was (one of this musical’s many meta moments).—
Christian Lewis,
Variety,
11 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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But the Lotus ladies will have some tough competition, including seven-time winner Allison Janney, two-time winner Patricia Arquette, and potential double nominee Kaitlyn Dever.—
Kristen Baldwin,
EW.com,
4 Apr. 2025
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But, then, the Warriors aren’t the only tough out in an overloaded Western Conference.—
Jim Alexander,
Oc Register,
4 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Concerns have been raised about DOGE operatives, many with ties to Musk's companies, gaining access to sensitive government data without adequate oversight or experience.—
Hannah Parry,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Apr. 2025
-
Cooling, calming, and tailor-made for sensitive skin, this mask drapes delicately across your face to deliver a serious hit of cica (Centella asiatica) and allantoin—soothing redness and dryness in minutes.—
Annie Blackman,
Allure,
10 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Stunning images from the Underwater Photographer of the Year contest Fighting fish, thirsty camels and hairy shrimp are all featured among the winning images of the Underwater Photographer of the Year competition.—
Alexandra Banner,
CNN,
21 Feb. 2025
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The lack of dihydrotestosterone receptors across the rest of our bodies explains why these areas can remain hairy even after our hairlines have lost their fight against these hormonal changes.—
RJ Mackenzie,
Popular Science,
20 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Pitchers were becoming too dominant with the sticky stuff.—
Ryan Morik,
FOXNews.com,
3 Apr. 2025
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Aphids excrete the sap as honeydew, leaving leaves sticky and susceptible to sooty mold.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
3 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
The thorny legal issue over who gets to distribute long-running game shows Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune has an update.—
Peter White,
Deadline,
10 Apr. 2025
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The bloc’s landmark legislation known as the AI Act has proven particularly thorny for companies in the rapidly growing artificial intelligence industry.—
Ryan Browne,
CNBC,
9 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Building a Sustainable Future Compression of organizational hierarchies isn't inherently problematic, but the failure to address the human and operational needs that middle managers traditionally meet certainly is.—
Tracy Lawrence,
Forbes.com,
8 Apr. 2025
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This is especially problematic if, in these precarious times, their contacts are all similar to them.—
John W. Dean,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Back in 2021, the starlet opened up about those complicated early days following Angel’s birth.—
Elizabeth Ayoola,
Essence,
4 Apr. 2025
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President Donald Trump’s tariffs aim to bring jobs and factories back to the U.S., but the reality is more complicated.—
Bruce Gil,
Quartz,
4 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Spiny.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spiny. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.
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