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Synonyms

hairy

American  
[hair-ee] / ˈhɛər i /

adjective

hairier, hairiest

  1. covered with hair; having much hair.

    Synonyms:
    shaggy, woolly, furry

  2. consisting of or resembling hair.

    moss of a hairy texture.

  3. Informal.

    1. causing anxiety or fright.

      a hairy trip through the rapids.

    2. full of hardship or difficulty.

      a hairy exam; a hairy illness.
hairy British  
/ ˈhɛərɪ /

adjective

  1. having or covered with hair

  2. slang

    1. difficult or problematic

    2. scaring, dangerous, or exciting

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • hairiness noun
  • unhairiness noun
  • unhairy adjective

Etymology

Origin of hairy

First recorded in 1250–1300, hairy is from the Middle English word heeri. See hair, -y 1

Explanation

Hairy things are furry or fuzzy — covered with hair. If your hairy dog lies on your bed, your bed may end up hairy as well. If your dad has a bushy beard, he has a hairy face, and while some kinds of caterpillars are sleek and smooth, others are hairy. Informally, you can also use hairy to mean "scary." The biggest roller coaster at an amusement park will probably have a few hairy loops and turns. This slang meaning has evolved from its original use as "difficult," dating back to the 1840s.

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

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.

As the Washington Post reported before the hearing, Mullin has never served in the military, but he has often told stories alluding to being in hairy situations “overseas” while on “special assignments.”

From Slate • Mar. 18, 2026

She said he had a naturally hairy upper body - and in the summer months would shave his chest, using clippers and a wet razor.

From BBC • Mar. 12, 2026

The United Strand: One fan’s hairy battle for a ManU win.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 11, 2026

Several ads trafficked in revulsion as an attention-getter, none more so than this one for a body shaver featuring various clumps of removed body hair singing with their little hairy mouths.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 8, 2026

He nodded at the huge, hairy man behind her.

From "Half Upon a Time" by James Riley

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.