thorny
Americanadjective
-
bearing or covered with thorns
-
difficult or unpleasant
a thorny problem
-
sharp
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of thorny
before 1000; Middle English; Old English thornig. See thorn, -y 1
Explanation
Thorny things are either sharp and spiky, like a thorny briar patch, or troublesome and difficult, like a thorny problem. Either way, they can be painful! When you tackle a thorny rosebush, you'll need thick gloves and sharp pruning shears. When you tackle a thorny issue at work or at school, on the other hand, you might need tools like diplomacy and intelligence. This figurative meaning of thorny is useful for describing especially complex or distressing issues, like a thorny political problem that divides a nation.
Vocabulary lists containing thorny
All The Feels: Touching Words For Textures
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Spelling Practice 1, Unit 5
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Part 2 Vocabulary (Unit 3)
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The issue of parking at one of Wales' most popular beauty spots has proved a thorny one with residents and visitors.
From BBC • Jun. 6, 2026
If this spring’s “The Drama” still managed to polarize some viewers and critics with thorny yet palatable gender dynamics, “Obsession” is its dull cousin: all tell, no show.
From Salon • Jun. 4, 2026
She has pledged to take a data-driven approach on that and other thorny issues, including streetlights that are out and pothole-riddled roads.
From Los Angeles Times • May 26, 2026
Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva flew to Washington Wednesday for talks with US President Donald Trump on thorny issues, while seeking to boost his image at home ahead of October elections.
From Barron's • May 6, 2026
The bluffs on which it crouched were steep and rocky, spotted with lichen and gnarled thorny trees.
From "A Clash of Kings" by George R.R. Martin
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
