1. (

• thorny

) bristling with perplexities; "the thorny question of states' rights" ;

2. (

• barbed ,
• barbellate ,
• briary ,
• briery ,
• bristled ,
• bristly ,
• burred ,
• burry ,
• prickly ,
• setose ,
• setaceous ,
• spiny ,
• thorny

) having or covered with protective barbs or quills or spines or thorns or setae etc.; "a horse with a short bristly mane"; "bristly shrubs"; "burred fruits"; "setaceous whiskers" ;