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
Property taxes are a thorn in the side of homeowners.
—
Maddie McGay, USA TODAY, 14 Mar. 2025
But Subreddits managed by users are both Reddit’s crown jewels and a thorn in the side of corporate interests, as demonstrated by the coordinated action taken last year in protest of changes to the platform’s API pricing structure.
—Mia Sato, The Verge, 13 Dec. 2024
The network's Farda news service reports intensely on life in Iran and is a thorn in the side of the regime there.
—David Folkenflik, NPR, 10 Mar. 2025
Despite its limitations, the agency had become a thorn in the side of some of the richest and most powerful people in the nation — notably Elon Musk, Trump’s key supporter both financially and arguably politically.
—Chris Isidore, CNN, 15 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for a thorn in the/someone's flesh/side
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Maddie McGay, USA TODAY, 14 Mar. 2025
But Subreddits managed by users are both Reddit’s crown jewels and a thorn in the side of corporate interests, as demonstrated by the coordinated action taken last year in protest of changes to the platform’s API pricing structure.
—Mia Sato, The Verge, 13 Dec. 2024
The network's Farda news service reports intensely on life in Iran and is a thorn in the side of the regime there.
—David Folkenflik, NPR, 10 Mar. 2025
Despite its limitations, the agency had become a thorn in the side of some of the richest and most powerful people in the nation — notably Elon Musk, Trump’s key supporter both financially and arguably politically.
—Chris Isidore, CNN, 15 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for a thorn in the/someone's flesh/side
Cite this Entry
“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 2 Apr. 2025.
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