thorny
adjective
abounding in or characterized by thorns; spiny; prickly.
thorniest
-
superlativeof thorny.superlative
The form of an adjective or adverb indicating the greatest degree of a quality.
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.
Fox is in the camp that believes AI will free lawyers from repetitive tasks and let them focus on the thorniest issues.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 26, 2026
“What the 60-day window is actually for is ironing out the thorniest details,” Henrietta Treyz, director of economic policy at Veda Partners, wrote in a note.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 16, 2026
It defers the thorniest issues to future negotiations.
From BBC ● Jun. 15, 2026
The chapter on fisheries, expected to be the thorniest as Iceland is intent on retaining control over its resources, had not been opened.
From Barron's ● Mar. 6, 2026
The Reagan had run afoul of nuclear power’s thorniest problem: radioactive isotopes.
From "Meltdown" by Deirdre Langeland
