bristled
Reacted with offense
Bristled is the past tense of bristle—to stand up stiffly like the short, coarse hairs on a brush or an animal's back.
A dog's fur bristles when it feels threatened.
More often, bristled describes a defensive or indignant reaction: She bristled at the suggestion that she'd been careless.
Something bristled with objects is covered densely: The fortress bristled with cannons.
Slightly angered or bothered
- annoyedMildly vexed
- fumingExtremely angry, visibly so
- exasperatedIntensely irritated, patience gone
- agitatedEmotionally disturbed, restless
incensed · infuriated · irked · vexed · peeved · enraged · indignant · resentful
Having sharp points
- thornyHaving sharp protrusions
- pricklySpiny or irritable
- barbedHaving sharp projections
- quilledHaving stiff spines
spiky · coarse · rough · stubbly · whiskered · hairy · fuzzy · scratchy
irritated
Slightly angered or bothered
- annoyedMildly vexed
- fumingExtremely angry, visibly so
- exasperatedIntensely irritated, patience gone
agitated · incensed · infuriated · irked · vexed · peeved · enraged · indignant · resentful · nettled
spiny
Having sharp points
quilled · spiky · coarse · rough · stubbly · whiskered · hairy · fuzzy · scratchy · wiry
rigid
Unable to bend
raised · standing · upright · prickled · hackled · goosebumps · hair-raising · erected · roughened · ruffled
vigilant
Keenly aware of danger
guarded · tense · primed · reactive · on-edge · aroused · heightened · ready · anticipatory · responsive
- soft bristlesPliable brush strands
- toothbrush bristlesCleaning filaments on dental tool
- bristle brushTool with stiff fibers
- plastic bristlesManufactured flexible fibers
- bristlecone pineExtremely long-lived mountain conifer
- wire bristlesRigid metal cleaning strands