adjective
-
resembling a spike
-
having a spike or spikes
-
informal ill-tempered
-
characterized by violent or aggressive methods
spiky protestors
Other Word Forms
- spikily adverb
- spikiness noun
Etymology
Origin of spiky
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Deftly written, funny and spiky, it showcases Groff’s ability to conjure storms both internal and external.
From Los Angeles Times
Fred was an iguana, spiky as a dragon, with a cheerful snub nose.
From Literature
Instead, I name my spiky friend and display him on my dresser, like a houseplant or oversized pet rock.
From Literature
All of them stopped obediently when Bronden decreed, to help cut the limp, spiky tips from the pine-smelling trees that were growing along the way.
From Literature
Smith was not like that in life, although she was described as “spiky” according to those who worked with her, she admitted to being nervous before each take, which explains her devotion to precise delivery.
From Salon
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
