hairy
gb/hˈɛɹi/ us/hˈɛɹi/
A2
English
~ 3900
Senses
0 senses
adjective
A2
property
1
Covered with a lot of hair
Having a lot of hair on the body or another surface.
Usage pattern:
[something] is hairy
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'hairy' with 'furry'; 'furry' usually refers to animals with soft fur, while 'hairy' can describe humans, animals, or objects covered with hair-like material.
Synonyms
shaggy (Suggests thick, messy hair, often on animals or unkempt people.)
Antonyms
hairless (Describes having no hair at all.)
Collocations
hairy arms
|hairy chest
|hairy legs
|hairy caterpillar
Themes
appearance
|animals
|daily life
|body
Examples
- The dog was large and very hairy.
- He has hairy arms and legs.
- Some spiders are small but very hairy.
- The caterpillar was green and hairy.
- Her hairy coat kept her warm in winter.
Learner examples
- The man is hairy.
- This cat is hairy.
- I see a hairy spider.
- The monkey is hairy.
adjective
informal
B2
property
2
Dangerous or scary in an intense way
Used to talk about something dangerous or scary.
Usage pattern:
[something] is hairy
Common mistake:
Learners may interpret this literally as 'having hair' instead of understanding it as slang for 'scary' or 'dangerous'. Context is key.
Synonyms
risky (Focuses more on the chance of danger rather than the feeling of fear.)
Antonyms
safe (Indicates no danger or risk.)
Collocations
hairy moment
|hairy ride
|hairy situation
Themes
danger
|emotions
|informal
|daily_life
Examples
- It got a bit hairy when the boat started to tip.
- That was a hairy moment during the climb.
- Driving in the snow last night was really hairy.
Learner examples
- It was a hairy trip in the storm.
- That was a hairy moment for me.
- The road was hairy in the rain.
Grammar
Dictionary form
hairy
IPA
GB/hˈɛɹi/
US/hˈɛɹi/
Syllables & stress
hairy (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (hairy)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: hairy
- Comparative: hairier
- Superlative: hairiest
Word family
Forms
hairier
adjective
hairiest
adjective
Core family
hair
noun A1
Negative and opposite forms
hairless
adjective
Advanced or less common
hairiness
noun
Expressions
a hairy moment
1/ə hˈɛɹi mˈoʊmənt/
idiom
informal
A short time of danger or fear
A short time when you feel scared because something is dangerous.
Examples
- We had a hairy moment when the plane hit turbulence.
- Crossing the busy road gave me a hairy moment.
a hairy situation
1/ə hˈɛɹi sˌɪt͡ʃuˈeɪʃən/
idiom
informal
A dangerous or scary situation
A time or event that is scary or dangerous.
Examples
- We had a hairy situation when our car broke down in the desert.
- It was a pretty hairy situation during the storm.