Complicated and Prickly

Complicated

Complicated adjective - Having many parts or aspects that are usually interrelated.

Prickly is a synonym for complicated. In some cases you can use "Prickly" instead an adjective "Complicated".

Nearby Words: complex, complication, complicating, complicative

Prickly

Prickly adjective - Requiring exceptional skill or caution in performance or handling.
Usage example: a prickly issue that will outrage at least one special interest if not handled delicately

Complicated is a synonym for prickly in difficult topic. Sometimes you can use "Complicated" instead an adjective "Prickly", if it concerns topics such as thorny or difficult.

Nearby Words: prick, prickle, pricked, pricking, prickling

Both words in one sentence

  • Series / The Newsroom Reasonable Authority Figure: Charlie Skinner, head of the ACN News Division, is a stern but quite pragmatic boss (and fairly snarky when dealing so much complicated and prickly issues as the news entails).
Cite this Source
Prickly and Complicated. (2016). Retrieved 2026, August 15, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/complicated/prickly
Complicated & Prickly. N.p., 2016. Web. 15 Aug. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/complicated/prickly>.
Prickly or Complicated. 2016. Accessed August 15, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/complicated/prickly.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "complicated" and "prickly" have occurred on timeline