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
-
Aldo Olivieri, il Gatto Magico (the Magic Cat), who had survived a fractured skull that required drilling to save his life and left him with chronic headaches, became the first-choice goalkeeper.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Nov. 2025 -
But the holiday headaches might get much worse as the government shutdown causes flight reductions at major airports.—
Chris Isidore,
CNN Money,
6 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Use clean pruners to trim away shoots, thorns, or roots along the soil and to help maintain the tree’s size.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
17 Dec. 2025
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Even delicate feline nostrils and curved claws that could scratch like thorns won her undying admiration.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 Dec. 2025
Noun
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Mamdani’s agenda—rent freezes, universal childcare, free public transit—echoes the frustrations of a city where affordability and dignity have become luxuries.—
Newsweek Contributors,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Nov. 2025
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Designers are focusing on solving the real frustrations travelers face in airports, train stations and hotel rooms.—
Sal Vaglica,
USA Today,
4 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
In Milwaukee, nuisances include loud music, loitering and littering.—
Quinn Clark,
jsonline.com,
25 Dec. 2025
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While those invaders are mainly nuisances, cockroaches are a different story.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
10 Dec. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Hair shirts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hair%20shirts. Accessed 8 Jan. 2026.
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