as in headache
something that is a source of irritation
the constant need to cut costs was a hair shirt, but one that the theater company had to live with
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Recent Examples of hair shirt
In an area that used to produce influential Catholic churchmen the way the Dodgers churned out Rookies of the Year, Gomez has amounted to the living equivalent of a hair shirt: a mode of piety that serves no one but the wearer.
—
Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2025
And that gave birth to the worst Wolverine, which also gave birth to the idea that the suit is a hair shirt.
—Michael Ordoña, Los Angeles Times, 25 Nov. 2024
Erin Maglaque’s review of a new book on women and sound in Renaissance Italy peels back the layers of a less-talked about form of religious asceticism and control, one where there are no hair shirts or decade-long fasts, just… silence.
—Michelle Weber, Longreads, 15 Nov. 2024
And that gave birth to the worst Wolverine, which also gave birth to the idea that the suit is a hair shirt.
—Michael Ordoña, Los Angeles Times, 25 Nov. 2024
Talking about wedding vows was like donning a hair shirt.
—Leslie Jamison, The New Yorker, 15 Jan. 2024
The novel aesthetic of Art Nouveau wrapped modernism in the garb of pleasure, instead of in the hair shirt of social obligation and moral uplift.
—Regina Cole, Forbes, 1 Jan. 2023
Few people’s utopia involves wearing a hair shirt and giving up culinary pleasures; utopia and sacrifice are, for many, antonyms.
—Jan Dutkiewicz, The New Republic, 20 Oct. 2022
This is a coming-of-age story in which the transition from adolescence to adulthood is akin to swapping one hair shirt for another.
—Jake Cline, Washington Post, 27 May 2022
Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2025
And that gave birth to the worst Wolverine, which also gave birth to the idea that the suit is a hair shirt.
—Michael Ordoña, Los Angeles Times, 25 Nov. 2024
Erin Maglaque’s review of a new book on women and sound in Renaissance Italy peels back the layers of a less-talked about form of religious asceticism and control, one where there are no hair shirts or decade-long fasts, just… silence.
—Michelle Weber, Longreads, 15 Nov. 2024
And that gave birth to the worst Wolverine, which also gave birth to the idea that the suit is a hair shirt.
—Michael Ordoña, Los Angeles Times, 25 Nov. 2024
Talking about wedding vows was like donning a hair shirt.
—Leslie Jamison, The New Yorker, 15 Jan. 2024
The novel aesthetic of Art Nouveau wrapped modernism in the garb of pleasure, instead of in the hair shirt of social obligation and moral uplift.
—Regina Cole, Forbes, 1 Jan. 2023
Few people’s utopia involves wearing a hair shirt and giving up culinary pleasures; utopia and sacrifice are, for many, antonyms.
—Jan Dutkiewicz, The New Republic, 20 Oct. 2022
This is a coming-of-age story in which the transition from adolescence to adulthood is akin to swapping one hair shirt for another.
—Jake Cline, Washington Post, 27 May 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hair shirt
Noun
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Dehydration can be dangerous and may result in headaches, fatigue, dizziness, and other unpleasant symptoms, according to the Cleveland Clinic.—
Sarah Klein,
Time,
29 Apr. 2025
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Not everyone with a mild headache needs a CT scan of the brain.—
Paul Hsieh,
Forbes.com,
29 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Yet, that $250,000 could well be enough to become more than just a thorn in the side of the ransomware industry if Halcyon has anything to do with.—
Davey Winder,
Forbes.com,
21 Apr. 2025
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Steyer’s company, long a thorn in the tech mogul’s side, promotes safer tech for children.—
Parmy Olson,
Mercury News,
19 Apr. 2025
Noun
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While the Black Series trailers are no longer a problem for City of Industry and Los Angeles County authorities, Wildomar officials say the trailers are now a nuisance for them.—
Nathan Solis,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Apr. 2025
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Both communities have spotlighted the importance of responsible tourism, where travelers are respectful and supportive of the local community, without being a nuisance or irresponsible.—
Michael Cappetta,
Travel + Leisure,
17 Apr. 2025
Noun
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CFOs understand the frustration of needing yet another system to manage access controls, compliance requirements and security measures.—
Leslie Milne,
Forbes.com,
29 Apr. 2025
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The frustration of losing the Corales Puntacana Championship almost on the last hole quickly passed for Joel Dahmen.—
Mohammed Soliman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Not Enough People Are Watching ‘NYT Mini’ Clues And Answers For Saturday, April 26 New Google Leak Reveals Subscription Changes For Gemini AI There is no shortage of worries for European auto manufacturers.—
Neil Winton,
Forbes.com,
26 Apr. 2025
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These privacy and security worries caused Microsoft to delay Recall and develop various safeguards to prevent such abuse.—
Michael Kan,
PC Magazine,
25 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hair shirt.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hair%20shirt. Accessed 7 May. 2025.
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