knotty

[not-ee]

adjective

knottier, knottiest 

1. having knots; knot; full of knots: knot.

   a knotty piece of wood.

2. involved, intricate, or difficult.

   a knotty problem.

   Synonyms: complicated, complex

knotty

/ ˈnɒtɪ /

adjective

1. (of wood, rope, etc) full of or characterized by knots

2. extremely difficult or intricate

Other Word Forms

• knottily adverb
• knottiness noun
• unknotty adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of knotty¹

First recorded in 1200–50, knotty is from the Middle English word cnotti. See knot ¹, -y ¹

Example Sentences

Past plans to remove asylum families have been really knotty - and it was a huge point of tension within the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition of 15 years ago.

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But she’s a reluctant sleuth in a knotty case with a head full of noise and a shaky hand on the lighter.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

It’s the latest in a series of knotty characters embraced by Arquette, 57.

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Listen to his tightly harmonized vocals in “Send It On” or to the gorgeously murky electric piano in “One Mo’Gin” or to the knotty percussive crosstalk in “Sugah Daddy.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Knox comprehends how knotty the process of reconciling with an ending that differs from what we want can be.

Read more on Salon

Related Words

• complicated 
• mystifying www.thesaurus.com
• perplexing 
• puzzling 
• sticky 
• thorny 
• tricky