SPIKY Synonyms: 88 Similar and Opposite Words

spiky

adjective

variants also spikey

Definition of spiky

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

Adjective

The state oversees different types of facilities for kids in the justice system, ranging in security level from group homes to prisons surrounded by barbed wire.

— Paige Pfleger, ProPublica, 25 Sep. 2026
Which is to say, this is more a barbed comedy of manners than a proper, elegant period piece.

— Will Harris, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of barbed

Adjective

Online, Firstman’s personality can come off playful or caustic, depending on how generous the viewer is feeling.

— Rebecca Ford, Vanity Fair, 25 Sep. 2026
Villegas prevailed in a caustic primary over state lawmaker Jasmeet Bains, a moderate who was backed by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

— ABC News, ABC News, 5 Sep. 2026

Definition of caustic

Adjective

Though Iñárritu mined a fertile vein of sardonic humor in 2014’s Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance), comedy has never been this grandiose director’s forte.

— David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 29 Sep. 2026
The Milk Carton Kids, comprised of Kenneth Pattengale and Joey Ryan, were their typical sardonic selves as returning hosts, but had some serious thoughts about AI, and Americana music as the antithesis of it.

— Chris Willman, Variety, 17 Sep. 2026

Definition of sardonic

Adjective

But with the concerns surrounding high-profile security breaches escalating, and public sentiment toward AI companies turning decidedly sour heading into the November midterm elections, calls for regulation are only likely to grow louder.

— Ari Levy, CNBC, 30 Sep. 2026
And members of these new churches were mostly not the black-dressed, hypocritical, sour-faced, monocultural figures favored by popular narrative, but often included colorful figures who were sometimes surprisingly modern in their desires.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of sour

Adjective

Inextricable to Long’s art, though, is a self-awareness and acerbic wit that elevates the narrative and reminds us that humor is integral to survival, too.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 2 Oct. 2026
Add monsters, revenge, and a sharp dose of acerbic wit, and this became a passion project for me.

— Jack Dunn, Variety, 25 Sep. 2026

Definition of acerbic

Adjective

Many glass cleaners use ammonia to cut through grease and grime, but instead of leaving your appliances polished and shiny, the pungent solution can actually leave a streaky, cloudy sheen on stainless steel.

— Kate Van Pelt, The Spruce, 28 Sep. 2026
Rordam recommends avoiding fish and other pungent foods leading up to the open house and addressing any lingering odors beforehand.

— Quincy Bulin, Southern Living, 26 Sep. 2026

Definition of pungent

Adjective

Fresh Air critic John Powers describes it as a unique blend of creepiness, sarcastic humor and political anger, unlike anything else on TV.

— Brittney Melton, NPR, 2 Oct. 2026
This hampers several of my favorite performances, especially Harper, whose Ben is full of sarcastic indignation, and June Laporte as Ginny, an aspiring reporter in need of proper mentoring.

— Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 19 Sep. 2026

Definition of sarcastic

Adjective

The Bongulo Paneer — cooked in bamboo — with a coconut and capsicum poriyal blends peanut chutney with acidic gongura sour cream and fiery gunpowder.

— Heidi Finley, Charlotte Observer, 2 Oct. 2026
Other novelists have turned to acidic, class-conscious portraits of the underemployed—see Andrew Martin and Halle Butler.

— Ryan Chapman, Literary Hub, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of acidic

Browse Nearby Words

spiking

spiky

spile

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Cite this Entry

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

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Synonyms of spiky

adjective

Example Sentences

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