BRISTLY Synonyms: 34 Similar and Opposite Words

bristly

adjective

ˈbris-lē

Definition of bristly

as in shaggy

covered with or as if with hair although pigs look hairless, they're actually bristly creatures

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of bristly But that hypothesis, Harland wrote in a bristly 1964 Scientific American article, was not supported by any concrete evidence. — Laura Poppick july 22, Literary Hub, 22 July 2025 Called Utah arrays, they are made of hard silicon and look a bit like the bristly part of a hairbrush. — WIRED, 19 Aug. 2022 Thirteen Lives reminds me of Ron Howard's Apollo 13 for its bristly character moments, people caught in extremis. — Joshua Rothkopf, EW.com, 6 Aug. 2022 Hedgehogs are small mammals, known for their coats, which are covered with bristly spines. — Washington Post, 10 Mar. 2021 See All Example Sentences for bristly

Recent Examples of Synonyms for bristly

Adjective

There’s little tension or drive, just shaggy scenes about paranoia, trust and hope.

— Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026
So much of it has degraded—tapes rotted to spooky fuzz, videos with shaggy images and too‑white faces.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of shaggy

Adjective

The southern hairy-nosed wombat is the smallest of three species of wombats, all found in Australia, typically weighing between 45 and 65 pounds.

— Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 16 Aug. 2026
These vines will also happily wind their way around tree trunks and shrubs and fix themselves in place with small rootlets that take on a hairy appearance as poison ivy plants mature.

— Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Aug. 2026

Definition of hairy

Adjective

Seabrooke said that even day-to-day activities—like washing with too-hot water, heat damage, rough towel drying, and genetics—can all play into hair that’s more staticky than silky.

— Jenny Berg, Vogue, 28 Aug. 2026
Think poofy baby doll dresses and silky slip dresses, but with that signature Olivia flair, of course.

— Lea Veloso, StyleCaster, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of silky

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bristling

bristly

britches

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“Bristly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bristly. Accessed 31 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of bristly

adjective

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