adjective
-
(of wood, rope, etc) full of or characterized by knots
-
extremely difficult or intricate
Other Word Forms
- knottily adverb
- knottiness noun
- unknotty adjective
Etymology
Origin of knotty
First recorded in 1200–50, knotty is from the Middle English word cnotti. See knot 1, -y 1
Explanation
Whether it’s pine or problems, sometimes the word knotty can apply to both. Knotty can describe something that has a lot of knots, either literally or figuratively. The adjective knotty is a way to describe something that’s covered in knots. It can be used in a literal sense to refer to wood that is covered in hard, irregular knots — you’ve probably seen these circular, knobby imperfections that sometime appear on wood. The word can also be used figuratively to describe something that is intricate and difficult to solve, such as a knotty political problem involving two warring nations or a knotty legal issue involving complicated constitutional issues.
Vocabulary lists containing knotty
100 SAT Words Beginning with "J," "K," and "L"
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The BFG
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"Deep Survival" by Laurence Gonzales
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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 BBC's own review noted that there was a disconnect between the "muscular" songs and the "existential crisis" of Styles' lyrics, concluding: "As a portrait of an artist at a crossroads, it's compellingly knotty."
From BBC • Mar. 13, 2026
Of course, as with any knotty academic question, there are anomalies.
From BBC • Dec. 10, 2025
It’s the latest in a series of knotty characters embraced by Arquette, 57.
From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 20, 2025
Knox comprehends how knotty the process of reconciling with an ending that differs from what we want can be.
From Salon • Aug. 20, 2025
The long ride to Kansas and back had Papa drawn down till he was as thin and knotty as a fence rail.
From "Old Yeller" by Fred Gipson
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.
