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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for hair shirts
  1. headaches
  2. thorns
  3. frustrations
  4. nuisances
Noun
  • Common symptoms include fever, headaches, body aches, joint pain, rash, vomiting and diarrhea, according to the CDC.
    — Amethyst Martinez, USA Today, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Others get quiet, clingy or suddenly complain of stomachaches and headaches.
    — Ashley Lynch, Sacbee.com, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of headaches
Noun
  • These networks used to buffer against isolation and economic displacement—the thorns of modern life that make partnership more valuable yet love more difficult to find.
    — Faith Hill, The Atlantic, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Blackthorn salt was filtered through something called a tower of thorns.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 22 July 2026
Definition of thorns
Noun
  • Many were quick to express their frustrations over the outage on social media.
    — Carly Thomas, HollywoodReporter, 9 Aug. 2026
  • Some version of both, with all the frustrations and unknowns that come along.
    — Rachel Siegel, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of frustrations
Noun
  • 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
  • Germans often overreact to animal nuisances with complicated schemes.
    — Ben Crair, New Yorker, 31 July 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
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Cite this Entry

“Hair shirts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hair%20shirts. Accessed 11 Aug. 2026.

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