thorny
Americanadjective
-
bearing or covered with thorns
-
difficult or unpleasant
a thorny problem
-
sharp
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of thorny
before 1000; Middle English; Old English thornig. See thorn, -y 1
Explanation
Thorny things are either sharp and spiky, like a thorny briar patch, or troublesome and difficult, like a thorny problem. Either way, they can be painful! When you tackle a thorny rosebush, you'll need thick gloves and sharp pruning shears. When you tackle a thorny issue at work or at school, on the other hand, you might need tools like diplomacy and intelligence. This figurative meaning of thorny is useful for describing especially complex or distressing issues, like a thorny political problem that divides a nation.
Vocabulary lists containing thorny
All The Feels: Touching Words For Textures
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Spelling Practice 1, Unit 5
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Part 2 Vocabulary (Unit 3)
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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.
Further thorny issues will become clearer soon, such as who gets the nod between Bellingham or Aston Villa's outstanding Morgan Rogers in the number ten role.
From BBC • May 22, 2026
The Chinese leader hosts the U.S. president in Beijing for thorny discussions and a show of stable relations.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 14, 2026
After a celebrated career, she returns with a collection of 13 short stories that explore mortality, thorny relationships and intellectual curiosity — hallmarks of her writing.
From Los Angeles Times • May 12, 2026
Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva flew to Washington Wednesday for talks with US President Donald Trump on thorny issues, while seeking to boost his image at home ahead of October elections.
From Barron's • May 6, 2026
Crawling through the thorny passageway was easier this time because their bodies had broken a wider path.
From "Tiger Boy" by Mitali Perkins
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.
