Prickly describes something covered with sharp points that poke or stick into you. A cactus is prickly because its spines jab your fingers if you touch it. Prickly bushes like blackberry brambles snag your clothes and scratch your skin when you push through them. A porcupine's quills make it one of the prickliest animals around.

The word also describes a scratchy, uncomfortable feeling on your skin, like when wool makes you itchy or when your foot falls asleep and gets that pins and needles sensation. You might feel prickly from sunburn or from lying in grass on a hot day.

When describing a person, prickly means touchy and easily irritated. A prickly person might snap at you over small things or seem annoyed by perfectly normal questions. Maybe your older brother gets prickly when you ask about his day, or a teacher becomes prickly when students don't follow directions. Like an actual thorn, prickly people make you cautious about how you approach them.

A prickly situation is one that's awkward or sensitive, where you have to watch what you say. Asking your parents for a new video game right after you got in trouble could create a prickly moment.