headache

noun

ˈhed-ˌāk How to pronounce headache (audio)
Definition of headachenext
1
as in job
a dull, unpleasant, or difficult piece of work filling out all the required forms was a real headache

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in nuisance
something that is a source of irritation one of the headaches of being a band teacher is never knowing if the school's music program will be cut

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of headache In addition to memory loss, people may experience a headache, elevated blood pressure, and dizziness. — Tom Gavin, EverydayHealth.com, 9 July 2026 No whining about measly travel headaches with the mother of all bad-trip sagas looming on the big screen. — Alex Pulaski, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026 Early signs include heavy sweating, muscle cramps and headache. — Hanna Wickes, Sacbee.com, 8 July 2026 Early warning signs include heavy sweating, muscle cramps and a headache. — Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 8 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for headache
Recent Examples of Synonyms for headache
  1. job
  2. nuisance
  3. killer
  4. frustration
  5. burden
  6. thorn
  7. effort
  8. worry
Noun
  • Last year’s grants paid for things like job skills training aimed at retaining nonprofit employees, specialized accounting services and a marketing program for thrift stores.
    — Andre Mouchard, Oc Register, 10 July 2026
  • The Dream, however, snapped back to finish the job and put themselves back in the win column for the first time since June 22.
    — Micahya Costen, AJC.com, 10 July 2026
Definition of job
Noun
  • This is a nuisance for many people who are using generative AI purely to draft text.
    — Michael Leone, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026
  • The city of Fort Worth is asking a Tarrant County court to declare an East Lancaster Avenue motel a common nuisance, and force its ownership to fix what the city alleges are years of persistent criminal activity.
    — Harrison Mantas, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 July 2026
Definition of nuisance
Noun
  • Throughout the school year, the students make some incredible progress identifying more potential victims, understanding the scope of the crimes and learning why serial killers were able to be so prolific in the 1980s.
    — Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 13 July 2026
  • Ahead of his final year at the prestigious Buckley School, Bret (Igby Rigney) is shaken up by a mysterious new student, Robert Mallory (Homer Gere), who arrives just as a serial killer called the Trawler is terrorizing LA.
    — Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 13 July 2026
Definition of killer
Noun
  • Its passage signals that lawmakers recognize the frustration many Americans feel about the high cost of housing.
    — Samantha Delouya, CNN Money, 11 July 2026
  • Over time, that leads to frustration, burnout, and in some cases, outstanding educators leaving the profession altogether.
    — Tiffany Thenor, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026
Definition of frustration
Noun
  • Until meaningful regulation catches up to the industry’s growth, the burden falls on owners to ask hard questions before handing over the leash.
    — Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 13 July 2026
  • That would push the budgetary burden of pension contributions to nearly 37% of all covered employee spending.
    — Gregory Kearney, Chicago Tribune, 13 July 2026
Definition of burden
Noun
  • And the yodel knows that the only way to grab the rose is to risk exposing the hand to the thorn.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 July 2026
  • Later, after a half-day tour to the nearby towns of Lampa and Pucará, the team made magic again, with a lunch in a forest of towering Puya raimondii, otherworldly bromeliads with thorns like piranha teeth.
    — Chris Schalkx, Travel + Leisure, 4 July 2026
Definition of thorn
Noun
  • Bellingham deserves a mention, too; his tireless running in-behind defences has created space for Kane all through the tournament, while his colossal defensive efforts have helped to maintain balance across the team.
    — Jack Pitt-Brooke, New York Times, 11 July 2026
  • The organization is a main backer of the measure and has supported efforts in other states to prohibit individualized prices for people based on certain personal information.
    — Stephen Hobbs, Sacbee.com, 11 July 2026
Definition of effort
Noun
  • Trustee Robert Jones renewed his worries that the creation of a subdivision of only the Sacramento and Yolo County portions of the district in April excluded conservative voters in El Dorado County who would likely to vote against the bond measure.
    — Tarini Mehta, Sacbee.com, 9 July 2026
  • Both relatively tolerant, despite the mothers’ initial worries about outsiders, the households mirror one another.
    — Judy Berman, Time, 9 July 2026
Definition of worry

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Cite this Entry

“Headache.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/headache. Accessed 16 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on headache

Nglish: Translation of headache for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about headache

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