a thorn in the/someone's flesh/side

idiom

: a person or thing that repeatedly annoys someone or something or causes problems

He's been a thorn in my side for years.

a thorn in the side of the industry

Examples of a thorn in the/someone's flesh/side in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

The lawsuit, filed by California resident Victor Cho, alleges a violation of the Video Privacy Protection Act, a federal law barring the disclosure of information about viewing habits that’s long been a thorn in the side of streaming providers. —

Winston Cho, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 Nov. 2024 The bond market has been a thorn in the side of equities lately. —

Jim Cramer, CNBC, 25 Oct. 2024 Manchin, a moderate who has often been a thorn in the side of Democratic leadership, opted to leave the party and register as an independent in May. —

Kaia Hubbard, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2024 Between the lines: Perry has been a thorn in the side of both Johnson and his predecessor, former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), as the former chair of the House Freedom Caucus. —

Andrew Solender, Axios, 15 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for a thorn in the/someone's flesh/side

Dictionary Entries Near a thorn in the/someone's flesh/side

Athonite

a thorn in the/someone's flesh/side

athort

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“A thorn in the/someone's flesh/side.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/a%20thorn%20in%20the%2Fsomeone%27s%20flesh%2Fside. Accessed 15 Nov. 2024.

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