How to Use spiny in a Sentence

spiny

adjective
Definition of spinynext
Synonyms for spinynext
  • Turn the lobster tail over and cut the spiny membrane in the back.
    — Elizabeth Karmel, Forbes, 4 Oct. 2022
  • Got kids that can’t be trusted so close to sharp and spiny plants?
    — Outside Online, 1 Apr. 2021
  • Their spiny tails are no barbed defense, but a prop to right themselves in the waves.
    — Tim Prudente, baltimoresun.com, 31 Dec. 2020
  • On the west, the desert garden features aloes and spiny cacti.
    — John King, SFChronicle.com, 26 Aug. 2019
  • The chemical was first found in the spiny dogfish, or Squalus acanthias, in 1993 and named for it.
    — Douglas Main, Discover Magazine, 20 Sep. 2011
  • In the center of one room was a display of spiny king crabs, sea stars, and translucent spot prawns, denizens of the twilight zone.
    — Dana Goodyear, The New Yorker, 20 June 2022
  • Pitch your tent or park your RV amid the park's signature boulders and spiny plants.
    — Maya Kachroo-Levine, Travel + Leisure, 17 Apr. 2023
  • Inside, the team found a small, coral-colored figurine of a llama made from the shell of a rare spiny oyster.
    — Claire Bugos, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Aug. 2020
  • Leaves are thick and leathery, 2 to 3 inches wide with spiny margins.
    — Karen Dardick, sandiegouniontribune.com, 17 May 2018
  • Osteoderms on spiny mice have been observed since the mid-1970s.
    — Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 24 May 2023
  • His field hands pulled the season’s last remaining fruit from the spiny branches above.
    — New York Times, 21 Nov. 2021
  • Or how the trees burst with white surrender-flag-flowers, only to give way to spiny, bright green husks.
    — Lisa Donovan, Bon Appétit, 14 Mar. 2023
  • Wednesday and at events such as BugFest in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, people couldn’t wait to get in the water and dive for spiny lobsters.
    — Chris Perkins, sun-sentinel.com, 27 July 2021
  • African spiny mice are small to medium sized rodents with spiny hairs on their upper body, large eyes and ears, and scaly tails.
    — Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 24 May 2023
  • Smooth and spiny dogfish look almost identical save for the namesake spikes on the back of the spiny dogfish.
    — Joe Cermele, Field & Stream, 26 July 2023
  • One was photographed in an aquarium eating a spiny dog fish, a shark that can reach four feet long.
    — Mark Graves | , oregonlive, 23 June 2023
  • Like the spiny cone, their chemistry is a defense against predation.
    — New York Times, 25 Aug. 2021
  • Scaly, spiny and snaggletoothed, soaring through the sky on leathery wings.
    — Soren Andersen, The Seattle Times, 20 Feb. 2019
  • According to the authors of the study, the spiny species takes its name from the Huichol, an indigenous tribe that resides in the same region.
    — Sam Walters, Discover Magazine, 1 Dec. 2022
  • The beetle is black with white spots and has long spiny antenna, inspiring its name, of the same colors.
    — Sarah Bowman, Indianapolis Star, 17 Aug. 2017
  • The spiny structure was meant to deter predators’ grazing.
    — New York Times, 25 Aug. 2021
  • The spiny water flea was first identified in North American in 1984 in Lake Huron.
    — Popular Science, 17 Feb. 2021
  • Unlike red urchins, the spiny purple urchins are no one’s idea of a favorite meal, whether human or otter.
    — Washington Post, 18 May 2018
  • Sample the spiny Caribbean lobster, simply grilled on a hot flame, and dig your toes into the sand.
    — Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Oct. 2017
  • The spiny bush viper is an incredibly venomous snake that can be found nestled in the flowers of trees in the forests of Central Africa.
    — Donna Sarkar, Discover Magazine, 27 Oct. 2022
  • Bythotrephes, a water flea with a long, spiny tail, eats other zooplankton and competes with fish for food.
    — Jason Treat, Magazine, 17 Nov. 2020
  • The founder/co-owner of Cress Restaurant began serving these spiny sea creatures back in 2013.
    — Amy Drew Thompson, orlandosentinel.com, 20 June 2021
  • Place them as a centerpiece on a table for a spiny, perfect display.
    — Sunset Magazine, 27 Oct. 2022
  • In response, the Iberian ribbed newt arched his back and tucked his head into his chest—sharp, spiny ribs coated in poison burst through his skin.
    — Riane Konc, The New Yorker, 5 Feb. 2020
  • Its shelves are lined with giant lobster claws, spiny skeletons of puffer fish, and vintage glass jars filled with tiny puka shells.
    — Jen Murphy, Travel + Leisure, 27 Feb. 2021

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'spiny.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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