hairier; hairiest
1
a
: covered with hair or hairlike material
b
: having a downy fuzz on the stems and leaves
2
: made of or resembling hair
3
a
: tending to cause nervous tension (as from danger)
a hairy adventure
b
: difficult to deal with or comprehend
a hairy math problem
hairiness noun

Examples of hairy in a Sentence

The taxi ride got a little hairy. When the deadline approaches, things can get a little hairy.
Recent Examples on the Web The Arizona hairy scorpion, which can be found in the Sonoran and Mojave deserts of Mexico and the southwestern United States, dig elaborate burrows (up to 8 feet deep), coming out at night to hunt insects, spiders and small vertebrates. Scott Travers, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024 Their rosettes of succulent, hairy leaves top off thick and spongy trunks that trap fog drifting in over the Andes’ unique and delicate high-altitude wetlands, called paramos. Quentin Septer, Scientific American, 16 Feb. 2024 Queen Mary of Denmark gracefully saved what could have been a hairy situation with her daughter Princess Isabella. Janine Henni, Peoplemag, 22 Jan. 2024 In 2011, David Zellner released Sasquatch Birth Journal 2, a short film that observed the hairy creature giving birth while squatting on a tree. Kalia Richardson, Rolling Stone, 13 Feb. 2024 Each bean is about one-fifth of an inch long and grows from the plant in thin, hairy pods that develop from yellow (or sometimes purplish) flowers resembling orchids. Wei Tchou, New York Times, 9 Feb. 2024 Shirlee had very good things about her, like her dewy, yellow skin and her pillowy lips, and very bad things, like her hairy sideburns and teeth troubled by a lifetime of finger-sucking. Addie Citchens, The New Yorker, 5 Feb. 2024 The viral image of his NFL-sized hairy chest even popped up on cookies and cakes. Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 28 Jan. 2024 Some monkeys wear name-brand clothing and sport gold chains around their thin, hairy necks. Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 17 Jan. 2024

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

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of hairy was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near hairy

Cite this Entry

“Hairy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hairy. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

hairy

adjective
ˈha(ə)r-ē How to pronounce hairy (audio)
ˈhe(ə)r-
hairier; hairiest
1
: bearing or covered with or as if with hair
2
: made of or resembling hair
3
a
: causing excitement (as from danger)
a hairy adventure
b
: difficult to deal with or understand
a hairy math problem
hairiness noun

Medical Definition

hairy

adjective
hairier; hairiest
1
: covered with hair or hairlike material
2
: made of or resembling hair
hairiness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on hairy

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