as in headaches
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hair shirts
Noun
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Hantavirus, a rare disease typically caused by exposure to infected rodents’ urine or feces, can cause headaches, fever, gastrointestinal issues and respiratory problems.—
Lex Harvey,
CNN Money,
12 May 2026 -
Patient groups are jockeying for exemptions from Medicaid work requirements, but the unusually fast implementation timeline for states is causing headaches.—
John Wilkerson,
STAT,
12 May 2026
Noun
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Removing the thorns may help our favorite novels appeal to a wider audience, but such refinements make art feel as lifeless as Catherine Linton’s corpse at the end of Emerald Fennell’s film.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
14 May 2026
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That’s a whole lot of people — 24 of the 30 in this group alone — and Vought really isn’t helping their case with their hilariously corny promo of Jesus Christ himself passing the torch (or rather the crown of thorns).—
Ben Rosenstock,
Vulture,
13 May 2026
Noun
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Now, two and a half months after the start of the war, Sánchez’s frustrations are broadly shared by his peers in Europe.—
Ishaan Tharoor,
New Yorker,
13 May 2026
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Trump has increasingly expressed frustrations when addressing rising prices at the gas pump, which pose a major political challenge for the president and Republicans during the 2026 midterm elections.—
Joey Garrison,
USA Today,
13 May 2026
Noun
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Land use regulations were legally justified as preventing nuisances, but in reality, the goal of many municipal leaders was to promote socially and racially homogenous neighborhoods, protect property values and keep property taxes low.—
Michael Schill,
Chicago Tribune,
13 May 2026
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Previous modernization efforts The airport has previously suffered from a host of issues that have proved nuisances for travelers, including green liquid falling from the ceiling and broken escalators.—
Sarah Perkel,
USA Today,
30 Apr. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Hair shirts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hair%20shirts. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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