as in headache
something that is a source of irritation
the constant need to cut costs was a hair shirt, but one that the theater company had to live with
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Recent Examples of hair shirt
And that gave birth to the worst Wolverine, which also gave birth to the idea that the suit is a hair shirt.
—
Michael Ordoña, Los Angeles Times, 25 Nov. 2024
Talking about wedding vows was like donning a hair shirt.
—Leslie Jamison, The New Yorker, 15 Jan. 2024
The novel aesthetic of Art Nouveau wrapped modernism in the garb of pleasure, instead of in the hair shirt of social obligation and moral uplift.
—Regina Cole, Forbes, 1 Jan. 2023
Few people’s utopia involves wearing a hair shirt and giving up culinary pleasures; utopia and sacrifice are, for many, antonyms.
—Jan Dutkiewicz, The New Republic, 20 Oct. 2022
This is a coming-of-age story in which the transition from adolescence to adulthood is akin to swapping one hair shirt for another.
—Jake Cline, Washington Post, 27 May 2022
Aiden needs neither hair shirt nor whip to self-flagellate, and Simone writes of depression with a visceral ache.
—Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 11 Nov. 2021
To toughen it up, Ford resorted to that longtime crossover hair shirt, the roof rack.
—Ezra Dyer, Car and Driver, 6 July 2020
Asking billions of people to don an unwashed hair shirt wouldn’t work; the solution would have to be rapid technological innovation.
—Jon Gertner, Wired, 1 Apr. 2020
Michael Ordoña, Los Angeles Times, 25 Nov. 2024
Talking about wedding vows was like donning a hair shirt.
—Leslie Jamison, The New Yorker, 15 Jan. 2024
The novel aesthetic of Art Nouveau wrapped modernism in the garb of pleasure, instead of in the hair shirt of social obligation and moral uplift.
—Regina Cole, Forbes, 1 Jan. 2023
Few people’s utopia involves wearing a hair shirt and giving up culinary pleasures; utopia and sacrifice are, for many, antonyms.
—Jan Dutkiewicz, The New Republic, 20 Oct. 2022
This is a coming-of-age story in which the transition from adolescence to adulthood is akin to swapping one hair shirt for another.
—Jake Cline, Washington Post, 27 May 2022
Aiden needs neither hair shirt nor whip to self-flagellate, and Simone writes of depression with a visceral ache.
—Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 11 Nov. 2021
To toughen it up, Ford resorted to that longtime crossover hair shirt, the roof rack.
—Ezra Dyer, Car and Driver, 6 July 2020
Asking billions of people to don an unwashed hair shirt wouldn’t work; the solution would have to be rapid technological innovation.
—Jon Gertner, Wired, 1 Apr. 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hair shirt
Noun
-
Skeptics point to volatility, security headaches, and the risk of distorting bitcoin markets if a major government holds too large a stake.—
Dave Birnbaum,
Forbes,
12 Mar. 2025
-
These side effects include hot flashes, nausea, calf cramps, skin itching or burning, headaches, abdominal discomforts, and fatigue.18 6.—
Emmanuella Ogbonna,
Health,
11 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Every detail aligned with the central motif of the rose—even the bag handles were accented with thorns.—
Kristen Bateman,
Vogue,
8 Mar. 2025
-
Because of that, the switchbacks are mostly covered in chunks of wood and small branches, some with thorns.—
Jaclyn Cosgrove,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
While some travelers may view passing through the security line as a nuisance, TSA plays a critical role in the safety of traveling throughout the U.S. – and their work expands far beyond airports.—
Kathleen Wong,
USA TODAY,
11 Mar. 2025
-
Along with claims of trespass and nuisance, Energy Transfer alleges that Greenpeace defamed the company to its financial backers.—
Jennifer Safstrom,
The Conversation,
11 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
While a small sampling, these results offer the latest sign of mounting frustration with the billionaire entrepreneur as he’s become a rising figure in international and American politics.—
Alex Harring,
CNBC,
12 Mar. 2025
-
Many channeled their frustration by pivoting their allegiance to Moroney.—
Tomás Mier,
Rolling Stone,
12 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Trade tensions and signs of slowing growth have led to worries that a recession could be looming.—
Auzinea Bacon,
CNN,
9 Mar. 2025
-
Those worries were only amplified by his State of the Union speech.—
Marc Ramirez,
USA TODAY,
8 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hair shirt.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hair%20shirt. Accessed 21 Mar. 2025.
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