spidery

adjective

Definition of spiderynext
as in wiry

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

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 spidery Recently, scientists studying Lucy’s cells determined that her astrocytes — spidery nerve cells critical for cellular communication — may be actively killing her neurons. — Erin Allday, San Francisco Chronicle, 3 Nov. 2022 O’Rourke’s chronic medical issues followed a chaotic route — sick, then sicker, then OK, then much sicker, then somewhat better — with spidery little paths radiating outward. — Hillary Kelly, Los Angeles Times, 4 Mar. 2022 During this rain-heavy time, the falls go from a spidery trickle to a powerful force of nature that plunges off the cliffs toward the earth. — Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 31 Oct. 2021 With spidery legs and a chunky profile, the module, dubbed Spider, was all function, no form — the ideal machine to land on the moon. — Discover Magazine, 1 Mar. 2019 See All Example Sentences for spidery
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spidery
  1. wiry
  2. weedy
  3. stringy
  4. twiggy
  5. willowy
  6. reedy
  7. waspish
  8. racy
Adjective
  • One memorable scene shows the wiry, personable Hammer introducing a classroom of grade-schoolers to experimental film.
    — Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2026
  • The stems are thin and wiry, and there are often multiple stems branching near the base.
    — Nadia Hassani, The Spruce, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of wiry
Adjective
  • Yvette opens the door to Pizza City’s lone toilet, engulfing them in a bouquet of Pine-Sol and damp cinderblock and the earthier smell of the small weedy lot where the bathroom’s rear wall ought to be.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Jeon-Gi lives with his Korean family in Building A, scrapping with kids from other immigrant families in a weedy playground.
    — Hamilton Cain, Time, 7 July 2026
Definition of weedy
Adjective
  • Members arrived dressed in a version of church clothes — men in crisp button-downs and stringy black ties, women in long swishy cotton skirts.
    — Claire Hoffman, Rolling Stone, 21 Sep. 2026
  • After blasting apart the woman and an infected farmer, their bodies fuse together with stringy tendrils from inside each of them.
    — Jordan Moreau, Variety, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of stringy
Adjective
  • Prune away small twiggy growth and dead, diseased, or crossing canes.
    — Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Remove any twiggy branches that are thinner than a pencil, branches that cross each other, and all dead or diseased branches.
    — Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 16 July 2026
Definition of twiggy
Adjective
  • However, the primary reason for these willowy airfoils is entirely practical.
    — David Szondy August 04, New Atlas, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Cosmos Cosmos help create an ethereal-looking garden, thanks to their long, willowy stems and bright, fluffy blooms that come in dozens of vibrant colors, from rich chocolate cosmos to delicate ‘Apricotta’ tones.
    — Melissa Epifano, The Spruce, 8 July 2026
Definition of willowy
Adjective
  • The nerdiness of her team’s approach, and the general scrappiness of the entire department under the leadership of the reedy Noda, gives the movie a sweet but sad spirit of resilience in the face of terrible odds.
    — Alison Willmore, Vulture, 30 Sep. 2026
  • The prosecutor, Johann Frischman, laid out, in a reedy voice, the criminal complaint.
    — William Finnegan, New Yorker, 29 June 2026
Definition of reedy
Adjective
  • After some increasingly waspish bickering between Aleida and Irina, the group manages to agree once more on the importance of the Space Elevator and Titan mission succeeding unaffected by the ongoing protests.
    — Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 24 Apr. 2026
  • Spitting Image has delivered a typically waspish response after Deadline revealed this week that the show had been served with a lawsuit by the owners of Paddington Bear.
    — Jake Kanter, Deadline, 10 Oct. 2025
Definition of waspish
Adjective
  • Bonds have therefore long been considered the most boring bit of finance, the dour, dependable sibling to the racier, more glamorous stock market.
    — Robin Wigglesworth, Fortune, 29 Sep. 2026
  • The Raunchiest Miley Cyrus shocked viewers by stripping down to a nude bikini top and briefs and grinding, twerking and thrusting on fellow performer Robin Thicke at the 2013 show in one of the raciest performances in MTV history.
    — Kate Hogan, PEOPLE, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of racy

Browse Nearby Words

spiderwebs
spidery
spied
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Spidery.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spidery. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 9

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
a cup of tea and a golf ball on tee side by side
Quiz: Sounds Like... Choose the word that sounds like it fits the clue...
See All