Illustration of thistle
plural thistles
1
: any of various composite (see composite entry 1 sense 1b) flowering plants (especially genera Carduus, Cirsium, and Onopordum) that have prickles on their leaves and sometimes on their stems and often have showy heads of tubular, usually purple flowers
also
: any of various other prickly plants
2
often thistle seed plural thistle seeds
: the small black seed of a tropical African herbaceous plant (Guizotia abyssinica) used especially as a source of oil and for bird feed
Examples of thistle in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Use it on dandelions, thistles, and plenty of other pesky weeds by placing the tool on top of the weed, stepping down on the platform, and pulling up.
—
Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 July 2025
The Fiskars Four-Claw Weed Puller Tool is a great option for removing stubborn dandelions and thistle without leaving you with sore knees or an achy back afterwards.
—Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 21 May 2025
Canada thistle is the most common thistle in home lawns.
—Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 June 2025
The ground between the trees was overgrown with thistle.
—Ben Ehrenreich, Harpers Magazine, 26 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for thistle
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Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 July 2025
The Fiskars Four-Claw Weed Puller Tool is a great option for removing stubborn dandelions and thistle without leaving you with sore knees or an achy back afterwards.
—Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 21 May 2025
Canada thistle is the most common thistle in home lawns.
—Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 June 2025
The ground between the trees was overgrown with thistle.
—Ben Ehrenreich, Harpers Magazine, 26 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for thistle
Cite this Entry
“Thistle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thistle. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
thistle
noun
this·tle
ˈthis-əl 
: any of various prickly plants related to the daisies and having often showy heads of mostly tubular flowers
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