HAIR SHIRTS Synonyms: 57 Similar and Opposite Words

hair shirts

noun

plural of hair shirt

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

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for hair shirts

Noun

Tibbetts says the fires have already created plenty of logistics headaches.

— Anya Kamenetz, Curbed, 28 Aug. 2026
But nightmare headaches and blood pressure spikes from her teenage years came back at age 24.

— Maggie Menderski, Louisville Courier Journal, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of headaches

Noun

But our frustrations and inconvenience pale in comparison to the sadness of those who knew the deceased or to the trauma the drivers involved experienced.

— Doug Turnbull, AJC.com, 30 Aug. 2026
One year before his triumph in the 2026 US Open, Clark missed the cut at the same tournament and took his frustrations out on the Oakmont Country Club locker room, causing enough damage that the famous club outside Pittsburgh banned him for life.

— Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of frustrations

Noun

Others argued that the report seems to cast members of the media as nuisances to be dealt with, while ignoring instances in which journalists were targeted by law enforcement.

— Libor Jany, Los Angeles Times, 12 Aug. 2026
The Kansas City City Council approved a trio of ordinances on Thursday aimed at vacant properties that become nuisances and staving off demolition of historic buildings.

— Chris Higgins, Kansas City Star, 1 Aug. 2026

Definition of nuisances

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

hair shirt

hair shirts

hairsplitter

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Hair shirts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hair%20shirts. Accessed 3 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of hair shirts

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

recalcitrant

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Games & Quizzes