prickly
adjective
full of or armed with prickles.
prickliness
-
a word derived from
prickly.
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.
By contrast, Ms. Lloyd brings a weighty, wary gravitas to Celeste, the group’s only black member, who often radiates a mild prickliness.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 21, 2025
But Vera, the character, is far more than that, and not just because Blethyn infuses her with such a captivating mix of slovenliness and precision, prickliness and empathy.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 9, 2025
How did you two work together to establish that mother-daughter rapport and that prickliness?
From Salon ● Nov. 22, 2024
When a onetime private detective sits down to question a former spy and confessed performance artist, you might expect some verbal fisticuffs, a bit of bobbing and weaving or defensive prickliness.
From New York Times ● Oct. 19, 2023
To find employers who will put up with the prickliness of newcomers from the North, the Ministry of Unification pays companies up to eighteen hundred dollars a year if they risk hiring a defector.
From "Escape from Camp 14: One Man's Remarkable Odyssey from North Korea to Freedom in the West" by Blaine Harden
