very irritable; bristly exchanges between the White House and the press; he became prickly and spiteful; witty and waspish about his colleagues

[ Syn: prickly , splenetic , waspish ]

having or covered with protective barbs or quills or spines or thorns or setae etc.; a horse with a short bristly mane; bristly shrubs; burred fruits; setaceous whiskers

[ Syn: barbed , barbellate , briary , briery , bristled , burred , burry , prickly , setose , setaceous , spiny , thorny ]