as in headaches
something that is a source of irritation
your constant questions are a thorn in my side
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Recent Examples of thorns
The fungus enters the body through small cuts or puncture wounds, often from rose thorns or splinters.
—
Leslie Baumann, Miami Herald, 13 Feb. 2026
In Christianity, its leaves represent the crown of thorns and berries Christ’s blood.
—Clarence Schmidt, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Feb. 2026
According to fashion reporter Jarrod Jenkins, who shared a video of the event on his Instagram, Taylor said the theme of her previous Air Jordan 1 Zoom Cmft collaboration was centered around the rose, while the new Air Jordan 3 project hones in on the thorns.
—Riley Jones, Footwear News, 1 Feb. 2026
These territorial thorns aside, Zelensky has said a proposed three-way split of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant between the US, Russia and Ukraine remains a big stumbling block.
—Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 21 Jan. 2026
Make sure to wear leather gloves to protect your hands from rose thorns.
—Lauren Landers, The Spruce, 10 Jan. 2026
Season 1 detailed how Robby—a crinkle-eyed stalwart whose stethoscope seems made of thorns—was still suffering from PTSD from his experiences working during the coronavirus pandemic, while a violent attack from a patient made the otherwise flinty Dana reconsider whether her job was still bearable.
—Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 10 Jan. 2026
The crown of thorns sat like the Death Star in the middle, eating the coral alive.
—Susan Casey, Travel + Leisure, 10 Jan. 2026
From the outside, Will manages to tap into his powers and overwhelm Vecna with his newfound confidence, snapping Vecna’s arm and allowing Eleven to impale his body on the Mind Flayer’s thorns.
—Dani Di Placido, Forbes.com, 4 Jan. 2026
Leslie Baumann, Miami Herald, 13 Feb. 2026
In Christianity, its leaves represent the crown of thorns and berries Christ’s blood.
—Clarence Schmidt, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Feb. 2026
According to fashion reporter Jarrod Jenkins, who shared a video of the event on his Instagram, Taylor said the theme of her previous Air Jordan 1 Zoom Cmft collaboration was centered around the rose, while the new Air Jordan 3 project hones in on the thorns.
—Riley Jones, Footwear News, 1 Feb. 2026
These territorial thorns aside, Zelensky has said a proposed three-way split of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant between the US, Russia and Ukraine remains a big stumbling block.
—Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 21 Jan. 2026
Make sure to wear leather gloves to protect your hands from rose thorns.
—Lauren Landers, The Spruce, 10 Jan. 2026
Season 1 detailed how Robby—a crinkle-eyed stalwart whose stethoscope seems made of thorns—was still suffering from PTSD from his experiences working during the coronavirus pandemic, while a violent attack from a patient made the otherwise flinty Dana reconsider whether her job was still bearable.
—Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 10 Jan. 2026
The crown of thorns sat like the Death Star in the middle, eating the coral alive.
—Susan Casey, Travel + Leisure, 10 Jan. 2026
From the outside, Will manages to tap into his powers and overwhelm Vecna with his newfound confidence, snapping Vecna’s arm and allowing Eleven to impale his body on the Mind Flayer’s thorns.
—Dani Di Placido, Forbes.com, 4 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for thorns
Noun
-
These include smart finds for meal prep, cooking, and cleaning—because there’s no shortage of everyday kitchen headaches to solve.—
Melanie Fincher,
Southern Living,
10 Feb. 2026
-
The change could also prompt state governments to roll out a patchwork of their own regulations, adding a new layer of compliance headaches for automakers, utilities, and other companies.—
Tim McDonnell,
semafor.com,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
But the focus on value has caused frustrations at times among parts of the chain's operator base.—
Kate Rogers,
CNBC,
11 Feb. 2026
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Here are some of the pettiest, most unimportant frustrations so far.—
Kathryn VanArendonk,
Vulture,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Barry said the new penalties are being enacted to coincide with the town’s passage of new rules dealing with nuisances and stormwater issues.—
Jim Woods,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Feb. 2026
-
Jody Allen should not appear on a list of the NFL’s biggest nuisances.—
Jerry Brewer,
New York Times,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Taking steps to limit exposure to potential irritants like chemicals is also important.—
Helen Carefoot,
Flow Space,
13 Feb. 2026
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Volunteers spoke of the risks of verbal and physical confrontations with ICE agents, including the use of pepper spray and other irritants against observers and even arrests.—
Ray Sanchez,
CNN Money,
8 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Thorns.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/thorns. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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