Synonyms of fly in the ointment

fly in the ointment

phrase

as in difficulty

something that makes a situation more complicated or difficult

The delay in the delivery of our appliances was a fly in the ointment during our kitchen renovation.

Synonyms & Similar Words

• difficulty
• complication
• complexity
• convolution
• intricacy
• headache
• matter
• side effect
• complicacy
• trouble
• annoyance
• ramification
• bitch
• technicality
• subtlety
• inconvenience
• bother
• aftereffect

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of fly in the ointment

Directors Will Lovelace and Dylan Southern have no interest in being the flies in the ointment. — Nate Jones, Vulture, 7 Sep. 2026