Thistly, a term describing something covered or filled with thistles, has several synonyms that can be used in its place. One option is thorny, which can describe anything prickly or thorn-covered, including cacti and roses. Another synonym for thistly is prickly, which is often used to describe plants such as hedgehogs or porcupines. Bristly is another synonym for thistly, often used to describe anything with stiff or coarse hairs, such as the bristles on a brush or a wild boar's coat. These synonyms for thistly help provide a range of descriptive words to help express the texture or feel of something prickly or spiny.