adjective
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resembling a spike
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having a spike or spikes
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informal ill-tempered
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characterized by violent or aggressive methods
spiky protestors
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of spiky
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 researchers compare the shape to the spiky burrs that cling stubbornly to shoes and clothing outdoors.
From Science Daily • Jun. 15, 2026
His pictures are reminiscent of graffiti: spiky, expressive and defiant, rendered in bold lines and block colours.
From BBC • Jun. 13, 2026
The spiky succulents are signifiers of what makes the desert special to people, said poet Ruth Nolan, the Mojave Desert literary laureate.
From Los Angeles Times • May 19, 2026
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
There are beds of squash, root vegetables Sergio calls yucca, and a tree with big green fruit that looks like spiky footballs.
From "Marcus Vega Doesn't Speak Spanish" by Pablo Cartaya
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.
