spiky

adjective

variants also spikey
Definition of spikynext
as in barbed

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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 spiky During his two-year spell in North London, Postecoglou also reveals the decidedly spikier side to his character. — Zak Garner-Purkis, Forbes.com, 24 June 2025 Jasmine petals, one of my favorite floral notes, is given a spikier edge alongside Australian pink pepper, while raspberry and spun sugar add a pleasing sweetness without being too much. — Venus Wong, refinery29.com, 30 Oct. 2024 Common snappers range from Nova Scotia to the Gulf of Mexico, while their spikier cousins are mostly found in the southern states west to Texas. — Paul Richards, Field & Stream, 1 Nov. 2023 These ads document the EV arms race playing out right now as companies beef up their electric offerings with higher profiles, spikier bodies, and more imposing grilles. — Curbed, 8 Feb. 2023 See All Example Sentences for spiky
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spiky
  1. barbed
  2. caustic
  3. sardonic
  4. sour
  5. acerbic
  6. pungent
  7. sarcastic
  8. acidic
Adjective
  • Light tubes, chains, scaffolds, chairs and a barbed wire table all made an appearance.
    — Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Instead of trying to locate bears in the wild, the survey relies on hair samples collected in barbed wire traps, which can be used to identify individual bears based on their DNA.
    — John Moritz, Hartford Courant, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of barbed
Adjective
  • Marsh was a fearless critic, rarely holding back even with his most caustic and controversial views.
    — Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Disappointment has been the overriding theme of McGregor’s public life since his championship heyday, which ended with an emphatic, caustic loss to Khabib Nurmagomedov in 2018.
    — Mark Puleo, New York Times, 12 July 2026
Definition of caustic
Adjective
  • It is loosely based on his 2000 memoir Kitchen Confidential, which revealed the raw chaos of restaurant kitchens in Bourdain's signature sardonic humor.
    — Brittney Melton, NPR, 14 Aug. 2026
  • But Cheekface will still be here, filtering our depraved mutterings into sardonic bangers.
    — Zach Schonfeld, Pitchfork, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of sardonic
Adjective
  • If your mouth puckers, the dressing is too sour, and if there’s no burn at all, there’s probably too much fat.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 14 Aug. 2026
  • For fans who missed the combination of tropical sweetness and a sour-candy kick, the creamy drink likely won’t disappoint.
    — Erin Clements, PEOPLE, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of sour
Adjective
  • Malgorzata Szumowska, Michal Englert) Aimee Lou Wood and Johnny Flynn are superb as Anna and Fyodor Dostoevsky in Małgorzata Szumowska and Michał Englert’s acerbic and joyful period film.
    — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Malgorzata Szumowska, Michal Englert) Aimee Lou Wood and Johnny Flynn play Anna and Fyodor Dostoevsky in Małgorzata Szumowska and Michał Englert’s acerbic and joyful period film.
    — Alex Ritman, Variety, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of acerbic
Adjective
  • And since management changed a decade ago, Ortega, 59, said pungent smells on days the plant operates have prevented him from going outside or opening the windows.
    — Finnegan Belleau, Chicago Tribune, 19 Aug. 2026
  • This scientific understanding is enabling cultivators to engineer diverse, less pungent strains and driving innovation in discreet, low-odor products like edibles and vapes.
    — Peter Su, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of pungent
Adjective
  • Our second president, John Adams, was said to have had a sarcastic demeanor and made biting remarks about his contemporaries.
    — John Blumenthal, Chicago Tribune, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Why are people so hungry for a bratty, sarcastic version of Abigail Williams?
    — Moises Mendez II, USA Today, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of sarcastic
Adjective
  • The acidic qualities of both the apple and vinegar will kill the bacteria under the feet and nails.
    — BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Some researchers have proposed that, when filled with an acidic liquid, the assembly could generate a small electrical charge.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of acidic

Browse Nearby Words

spiking
spiky
spile
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Cite this Entry

“Spiky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spiky. Accessed 24 Aug. 2026.

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