headache

noun

head·​ache ˈhed-ˌāk 

1

: pain in the head

2

: a vexatious or baffling situation or problem

meetings had become a giant headache

—Franklin Foer

headachy adjective

or less commonly headachey

ˈhed-ˌā-kē 

Synonyms

• job
• killer
• burden
• effort

Examples of headache in a Sentence

I'm starting to get a headache.

The symptoms include fever and headache.

The city's biggest headache is traffic.

Managing your finances can be a real headache.

Recent Examples on the Web

Another study found that creatine can help support those with traumatic brain injuries, showing improvements in amnesia, headaches and fatigue. —Angelica Stabile, FOXNews.com, 11 Oct. 2025

Delays in processing export permits for rare earths earlier this year caused major headaches for companies in Europe and Asia. —Dave Smith, Fortune, 10 Oct. 2025

This disruptive weather will likely lead to travel headaches in the East and could be a nightmare for major airport hubs like Washington, DC, New York City and Boston. —Mary Gilbert, CNN Money, 10 Oct. 2025

On a 25% discount right now, the TP-Link Archer AXE75 upgrades your home Wi-Fi without the setup headache. —PC Magazine, 9 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing headache

• cluster headache
• ice-cream headache
• pre-headache
• sick headache
• splitting headache
• tension headache

Rhymes for headache

• awake
• backache
• beefsteak
• betake
• cheesecake
• cupcake
• daybreak
• earthquake
• eastlake
• forsake
• handshake
• heartache

Video

An Abbreviated History of American English Spelling

Soop, wimmen, and headake did not make the cut

Kids Definition

headache

noun

head·​ache ˈhed-ˌāk 

1

: pain in the head

2

: an annoying or baffling situation or problem

headachy

-ˌā-kē 

adjective

Medical Definition

headache

noun

head·​ache ˈhed-ˌāk 

: pain in the head

called also cephalalgia

headachy

-ˌā-kē 

adjective