headache
noun
head·ache ˈhed-ˌāk 
1
: pain in the head
2
: a vexatious or baffling situation or problem
meetings had become a giant headache
Franklin Foer
Franklin Foer headachy adjective
or less commonly headachey
ˈhed-ˌā-kē
Synonyms
- bear
- beast
- chore
- job
- killer
- labor
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
I'm starting to get a headache. The symptoms include fever and headache. The city's biggest headache is traffic. Managing your finances can be a real headache.
Recent Examples on the Web Folks who lose their catalytic converters gain a whole lot of headache. Jake Sheridan, Chicago Tribune, 9 Sep. 2022 Pressure on funding costs or availability hasn’t been too much of a headache yet, as interest rates are still fairly low overall and banks came into the situation with plentiful deposits—arguably too much at some banks. Telis Demos, WSJ, 8 Sep. 2022 Kingston Brown, 8, woke up in his Augusta, Georgia, home last weekend complaining of a headache and gulping for air. Erik Ortiz, NBC News, 20 Aug. 2022 BackTap has been around since iOS 14 and setting it up isn’t too much of a headache. Yoni Heisler, BGR, 1 July 2022 Only 35 House Republicans supported the measure, some of whom still believe an independent commission would have saved a lot of headache. Anchorage Daily News, 23 June 2022 Travel pros recommend some tricks of the trade to make air travel less of a headache this summer. Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 22 June 2022 When the patient came back 10 days later, coughing repeatedly and complaining of headache, Davey Smith feared the worst. Jason Mast, STAT, 29 May 2022 Migraines are one of the most common forms of headache. The Salt Lake Tribune, 16 May 2022 See More
Jake Sheridan, Chicago Tribune, 9 Sep. 2022 Pressure on funding costs or availability hasn’t been too much of a headache yet, as interest rates are still fairly low overall and banks came into the situation with plentiful deposits—arguably too much at some banks. Telis Demos, WSJ, 8 Sep. 2022 Kingston Brown, 8, woke up in his Augusta, Georgia, home last weekend complaining of a headache and gulping for air. Erik Ortiz, NBC News, 20 Aug. 2022 BackTap has been around since iOS 14 and setting it up isn’t too much of a headache. Yoni Heisler, BGR, 1 July 2022 Only 35 House Republicans supported the measure, some of whom still believe an independent commission would have saved a lot of headache. Anchorage Daily News, 23 June 2022 Travel pros recommend some tricks of the trade to make air travel less of a headache this summer. Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 22 June 2022 When the patient came back 10 days later, coughing repeatedly and complaining of headache, Davey Smith feared the worst. Jason Mast, STAT, 29 May 2022 Migraines are one of the most common forms of headache. The Salt Lake Tribune, 16 May 2022 See More Word History
First Known Use
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Phrases Containing headache
Kids Definition
headache
noun
head·ache ˈhed-ˌāk
1
: pain in the head
2
: something that annoys or confuses
This traffic is a real headache.
Medical Definition
headache
noun
head·ache ˈhed-ˌāk
: pain in the head
called also cephalalgia
headaches
noun
1
as in jobs
a dull, unpleasant, or difficult piece of work filling out all the required forms was a real headache Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- jobs
- killers
- efforts
- burdens
- chores
- bears
- loads
- beasts
- troubles
- nuisances
- labors
- strains
- sweats
- heavy liftings
- drudgeries
- lucubrations
- grinds
- weights
- bothers
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- breezes
- setups
- kid stuff
- snaps
- cinches
- duck soup
- child's play
2
as in frustrations
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
- frustrations
- worries
- problems
- nuisances
- thorns
- annoyances
- inconveniences
- irritants
- hassles
- exasperations
- aggravations
- troubles
- irks
- vexations
- discomforts
- anxieties
- rubs
- peeves
- bugbears
- pests
- botherations
- trials
- insults
- burdens
- bothers
- ruffles
- menaces
- plagues
- curses
- hair shirts
- predicaments
- upsets
- pinpricks
- affronts
- sores
- tribulations
- aggros
- offenders
- fleabites
- albatross
- afflictions
- plights
- mischiefs
- pet peeves
- disturbers
- offences
- annoyers
- millstones
- offenses
- hang-ups
- harassers
- crosses
- albatrosses
- pandora's boxes
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- joys
- pleasures
- delights
- lucky minnie
- lucky stiff
- lucky stone
- lucome window
- lucrative
- lucrative interest
- lucrative succession
- lucratively
- lucrativeness
- lucrativenesses
- lucre
- lucres
- metalling
- metallings
- metallisations
- metallise
- metallised
- metallises
- metallising
- metallist
- metallists
- metallization
- metallizations
- metallize
- metallized