fly in the ointment
informala single thing or person that is spoiling a situation that could have been very positive or enjoyable:
I'm looking forward to Sunday, the only fly in the ointment being the fact that I'll have to sit next to my mother-in-law.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Difficult things and people
- a (heavy) cross to bear idiom
- a bitter pill (to swallow) idiom
- a hard/tough nut to crack idiom
- albatross
- bane
- chill
- equation
- handicap
- hiccup
- impediment
- job
- labyrinth
- liability
- life's a bitch (and then you die) idiom
- nut
- the chill wind of sth idiom
- the hard way idiom
- the sharp end
- thorn in your flesh/side idiom
- tie-up
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