thorny problem

collocation in English

meanings of thorny and problem

These words are often used together. Click on the links below to explore the meanings. Or, see other collocations with problem.
thorny
adjective
uk/ˈθɔː.ni/us/ˈθɔːr.ni/
A thorny problem or subject is difficult to ...
problem
noun [C]
uk/ˈprɒb.ləm/us/ˈprɑː.bləm/
a situation, person, or thing that needs attention and needs to be dealt with ...

(Definition of thorny and problem from the Cambridge English Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

Examples of thorny problem

These examples are from corpora and from sources on the web. Any opinions in the examples do not represent the opinion of the Cambridge Dictionary editors or of Cambridge University Press or its licensors.
None the less, intercultural communication often runs into the notoriously thorny problem of ethical relativism.
This presented the government with a thorny problem as it strove to normalise relations with its new ally.
Nonetheless, intercultural communication often runs into the notoriously thorny problem of ethical relativism.
He begins by tackling the thorny problem of defining what soft news is.
Data is a thorny problem for the textbook writer, especially where the author has to rely on published descriptions, which are never as complete as might be wished.
Another thorny problem relating to the proposal is labelling showing the origin of the meat.
And then there is the thorny problem of fisheries, which we have been considering today.
I sincerely hope that the forthcoming negotiations may lead to a successful solution of this most thorny problem.
From the
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Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0
That is the result of a dragging of feet for years, on what is admittedly the thorny problem of the reform of local government.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0
I am doing my best to bear in mind all the relevant considerations in regard to this very thorny problem.
From the
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Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0
I have to refer to one very thorny problem.
From the
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Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0
We now get to the thorny problem of unattached architects.
From the
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Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0
One could cut out the food subsidies, the electricity and gas subsidies and so on, and start on the thorny problem of housing subsidies.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0
We congratulate her on her non-legalistic, commonsense approach to the thorny problem of "in charge" cases.
From the
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Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0
But controlling international waterways is a thorny problem and it will be difficult to get some sort of agreement, for instance, to extend territorial waters.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0
It is a thorny problem because various conflicting interests are at issue, especially those of health and of industry.
Potatoes are a thorny problem from the marketing point of view.
From the
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Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0
This brings us to the very thorny problem of redundancy.
From the
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Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0
The redevelopment of the town centre will cost millions of pounds, and, here again, the council has a thorny problem to handle.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0
They want a satisfactory, commonsense, genuine solution of a thorny problem.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0
These examples are from corpora and from sources on the web. Any opinions in the examples do not represent the opinion of the Cambridge Dictionary editors or of Cambridge University Press or its licensors.