thorn
43
7.2
- noun
- /θɔrn/
- Informal
:
espina clavada
- You were never more than a thorn in our side.
- thorn in the side
- thorn in the flesh
So that became quite a thorn in his hide at the time.
- So that became quite a thorn in his hide at the time.
- My teacher told me life is like a thorn once it gets into you.
- But this is a a gift that has a lot of thorns.
- And the problem that's always been a thorn at the side of Israel has been the problem of Gaza.
- And it called the thorns little cares, little things that keep people from doing the bigger things.
- It is the source of why she is so confusing, why she is causing problems, why she's becoming a thorn in your side in certain situations.
- My stances on that, my anti vax stances, my my incitements to people disobeying COVID rules just being a thorn in their side pretty much.
- So a lot of individuals that have been thorns in your life have actually allowed you to propel the places that you would never be able to propel before.
- So she constructs her whole life around not touching this thorn.
Examples
-
Your re-entry is a thorn in a lot of sides, and they'll stop at nothing to prevent it.
Fiction book (1999) -
Moreover, he is a glorious thorn in the side of conventional wisdom.
Academic text (2002) -
If you defeat this thorn in my side, I will release him to you.
-
Labour leaders thought that they could act as a thorn in the side of the ruling party.
Academic text (1990) -
You've been a real Thorn in my side these past few days.
-
That one convict's been a thorn in my side for 35 years.
-
He's president of the council and a major thorn in the company's side.
Fiction book (1991) -
Seems she's been a thorn in everyone's side, not just yours.
Fiction book (1998) -
So a lot of individuals that have been thorns in your life have actually allowed you to propel the places that you would never be able to propel before.
-
This case has become a thorn in my side, causing me constant frustration.
Synonyms
418
3.0
Something that causes annoyance or trouble
109
9.2
A person or thing that is very annoying and difficult to deal with
29
2.1
A thing that causes trouble or annoyance
27
2.1
A person who keeps bothering others
21
3.2
A person or thing that bothers you
15
6.0
Something that causes discomfort or annoyance, like dust and some cleaners
11
4.1
A person or thing that is annoying and causes trouble
10
7.4
A thing that causes a lot of trouble for someone
8
8.0
A very annoying person or thing that causes trouble
4
7.8
A person or thing that causes a lot of trouble and annoyance for someone
2
9.5
A person who often annoys or causes trouble
1
6.3
A person or thing that keeps causing trouble for someone
1
6.5
A person who annoys others by repeating small actions
1
7.0
Something that keeps causing you trouble or worry
1
7.5
A person who annoys others by doing small things over and over
1
9.9
A person who is annoying or causes trouble
A person who annoys others by asking too many questions or interrupting them
A small problem that keeps annoying someone
Something that causes annoyance or trouble
Something that annoys or worries you
Antonyms
Idioms
Compounds
A spiny shrub from Madagascar grown as a houseplant with small flowers and bright red petals
- Specialized
A small tree or bush from eastern North America with long sharp thorns, white flowers, and red berries
A tall poisonous plant with bad-smelling leaves, large trumpet-shaped flowers, and spiky fruit
- South African
A South African bush with sharp forked branches and fruit like small plums often planted as a fence
A thorny shrub or small tree with yellow flowers often grown in warm, dry places
A small thorny tree or shrub from the southern United States with leaves like parsley
How Troublesome
Surface Forms
Etymology
Thorn is also used for a person or problem that keeps annoying you. People compared such trouble to a real 'thorn' that pricks you, so a 'thorn' in your side is something that constantly hurts or bothers you.