thorn in someone's side
19
6.3
- idiom
- Informal
- I am officially upgrading the Dukes... from fly in my ointment to thorn in my side.
- a big thorn in my side
- remain a thorn in my side
- become a thorn in my side
Examples
-
I'm sure you're aware your little friend, Leon Phelps, has always been a thorn in my side.
-
You were never more than a thorn in our side.
-
This traitor has been a thorn in our side for years.
-
But now with Napoleon on the loose, I have, shall I say, a thorn in my side.
-
You've been a real Thorn in my side these past few days.
-
You and your friend have been a real thorn in my side, Mr. Paulsen.
-
This guy's a perpetual thorn in my side.
-
Teresa Williams was a thorn in my side, no doubt.
-
That one convict's been a thorn in my side for 35 years.
-
The new policy has turned into a thorn in my side, causing endless frustration.
Synonyms
258
3.0
Something that causes annoyance or trouble
124
9.2
A person or thing that is very annoying and difficult to deal with
62
3.6
A person or thing that annoys others and causes trouble
43
2.1
A thing that causes trouble or annoyance
35
7.2
A person or thing that often causes trouble
32
2.1
A person who keeps bothering others
25
3.2
A person or thing that bothers you
12
4.1
A person or thing that is annoying and causes trouble
11
7.4
A thing that causes a lot of trouble for someone
10
8.4
A heavy problem that stays and keeps causing worry or trouble
9
8.0
A very annoying person or thing that causes trouble
3
7.7
Something unwanted that keeps coming back
2
9.9
A person who is annoying or causes trouble
1
7.4
Something that causes trouble or makes people annoyed
1
7.0
Something that keeps causing you trouble or worry
1
8.6
A small problem that keeps annoying someone
1
6.5
A person who annoys others by repeating small actions
1
9.5
A person who often annoys or causes trouble
A person who annoys others by asking too many questions or interrupting them
A person who annoys others in a mostly playful way
A person who causes trouble and is hard to deal with
A person or thing that causes a lot of trouble and annoyance for someone
Antonyms
How Annoying
Surface Forms
Morphology
The literal image of a 'thorn' stuck 'in' someone's 'side' evokes persistent pain or irritation, so a B1 learner who knows the constituent words can plausibly infer that it refers to a recurring nuisance or annoyance. However, this is a metaphorical extension rather than a strictly compositional meaning, and the idiomatic force (a persistent troublemaker or problem) may not be fully predictable without prior exposure.
Etymology
Thorn in someone's side may come from the picture of a small thorn stuck in a person's side, causing constant pain and annoyance. That's why it now means 'a person or thing that repeatedly causes trouble or annoyance'.