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Synonyms

spiky

American  
[spahy-kee] / ˈspaɪ ki /

adjective

spikier, spikiest

  1. having a spike or spikes.

  2. having the form of a spike; spikelike.

  3. acid or peevish in temper or mood; prickly.

spiky British  
/ ˈspaɪkɪ /

adjective

  1. resembling a spike

  2. having a spike or spikes

  3. informal ill-tempered

  4. characterized by violent or aggressive methods

    spiky protestors
"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

Etymology

Origin of spiky

First recorded in 1570–80; spike 1 + -y 1

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.

Gina Gionfriddo’s spiky comedy returns to New York in a Second Stage production with a stellar cast.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 7, 2026

The sauce should feel awake — not spiky, not sour — just balanced enough that the richness doesn’t linger too long.

From Salon • Apr. 7, 2026

Ellis Genge lacked his usual spiky physicality in the loose.

From BBC • Feb. 23, 2026

Irritable, neurotic, decent, confused and sardonic, Larry is a refreshing nod to the kind of spiky haplessness Jack Lemmon mastered.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 25, 2025

A young man with short, spiky hair knocked on James Parker’s office door.

From "The Parker Inheritance" by Varian Johnson

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.