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.

Each one is hand-plucked, which means you may spot a few black quills here and there; the company insists they’re harmless, and they disappear once cooked.

From Salon • Nov. 20, 2025

BBC Scotland News understands bedding was discovered with porcupine quills in the straw.

From BBC • Jan. 10, 2025

North American porcupines replaced these with a mix of insulating fur and long, needle-like quills that can be raised when they feel threatened.

From Science Daily • May 28, 2024

A lot of images in the novel, including a dog with its muzzle covered in huge porcupine quills, were those I really saw.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 11, 2023

I see a raven by the side of the road, picking at a porcupine that’s been run over by a car, its quills like a huge burr, its guts pink and scrambled like eggs.

From "Cat's Eye" by Margaret Atwood