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
Councilor Ed Flynn – a thorn in the side of the Wu administration – is being canceled by the progressives running the city.
—
Joe Battenfeld, Boston Herald, 22 Mar. 2025
Popularized by the Super Bowl-champion Philadelphia Eagles, the tush push has become a thorn in the side of NFL teams based solely on its effectiveness in short yardage situations.
—C. Isaiah Smalls Ii, Miami Herald, 30 Mar. 2025
Panama, meanwhile, continues to be a thorn in the side of U.S. soccer, having eliminated the team from the 2023 Gold Cup and beaten them again in Copa América group play.
—Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 24 Mar. 2025
Gwyneth Paltrow won — which remains a thorn in the side of the collective consciousness.
—Seth Abramovitch, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for a thorn in the/someone's flesh/side
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Joe Battenfeld, Boston Herald, 22 Mar. 2025
Popularized by the Super Bowl-champion Philadelphia Eagles, the tush push has become a thorn in the side of NFL teams based solely on its effectiveness in short yardage situations.
—C. Isaiah Smalls Ii, Miami Herald, 30 Mar. 2025
Panama, meanwhile, continues to be a thorn in the side of U.S. soccer, having eliminated the team from the 2023 Gold Cup and beaten them again in Copa América group play.
—Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 24 Mar. 2025
Gwyneth Paltrow won — which remains a thorn in the side of the collective consciousness.
—Seth Abramovitch, The Hollywood Reporter, 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 23 Apr. 2025.
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