1. having thorns or sharp spines
2. difficult to deal with; causing problems or complications
Usage: figurative

Examples

• The thorny rosebush scratched my arms as I walked by.
• Be careful of the thorny branches when pruning the hedge.
• The committee faced a thorny issue regarding budget cuts.
• Immigration policy remains a thorny subject in politics.
• The lawyer helped resolve the thorny legal dispute.
• Thorny vines covered the old stone wall.
• The thorny question of who would pay for repairs arose again.