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 of headache

• 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

While most infected people are asymptomatic, some may experience fever, headaches and body aches, and less than 1% develop severe illness that may result in hospitalization or death. — Alula Alderson, Sacbee.com, 14 July 2026

It can be treated effectively with antibiotics, particularly when caught early, but can cause longer-term problems including arthritis, severe headaches and irregular heartbeat if not. — Meg Tirrell, CNN Money, 14 July 2026

But with returns fraud now touching nearly every corner of retail, the report argues that treating returns as a strategic problem, not just an operational headache, may be the only way to keep it from getting worse. — Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 13 July 2026

In rare cases, the CDC said patients may experience vomiting, body aches, headache, low-grade fever and other flu-like symptoms. — Steven Yablonski, CBS News, 13 July 2026

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
• forsake
• gouache
• 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