porcupine

[pawr-kyuh-pahyn] / ˈpɔr kyəˌpaɪn /

NOUN

shrew

Synonyms

STRONG

backbiter battle-ax bitch carper detractor dragon fire-eater fishwife fury harpy harridan hellion muckraker nag ogress scold she-devil spitfire termagant tigress virago vixen

WEAK

calumniator hell cat reviler she-wolf vituperator

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Rick: The hotel pretty much just got the porcupine and left.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 6, 2026

What followed was a comedy of errors including military drills that outpaced anything this group of office workers had in mind, a rogue porcupine, stranded airplanes and one syringe to the butt of an employee.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 6, 2026

BBC Scotland News understands bedding was discovered with porcupine quills in the straw.

From BBC • Jan. 10, 2025

The fossils belonged to an extinct species of North American porcupine, meaning this group has a long history that likely began before the Isthmus of Panama had formed.

From Science Daily • May 28, 2024

One year I was home to a lovely and exceedingly polite porcupine family.

From "Wishtree" by Katherine Applegate

porcupine

Example Sentences

Related Words