headache

headache — noun

1. a feeling of pain or discomfort inside your head, which may be mild, sharp, or c

1.nounA2
Definition

a feeling of pain or discomfort inside your head, which may be mild, sharp, or continuous.

Example

Darius had a bad headache after staring at his computer all afternoon.

collocation: bad headache

A cold drink and some rest helped Sayaka's headache fade away.

pattern: [solution] helps a headache fade away

Common collocations
  • splitting headache
  • pounding headache
  • bad headache
  • mild headache
  • have a headache
  • get a headache
Synonyms
  • migraine

    a much more severe, specific type of headache often with nausea and visual disturbances

  • ache

    a continuous dull pain; broader because it can apply to any body part

  • pain

    the most general term for physical discomfort, not limited to the head

Antonyms
  • relief

    the reduction or removal of pain, including a headache

Grammar Patterns

have / get + a + (adjective) + headache

Usage Note

Headache is a countable noun, so it always needs an article or determiner: 'I have a headache', not 'I have headache.' Common adjectives describing severity include splitting, pounding, terrible, and mild.

Common Mistakes

I have headache today.
I have a headache today.
headache is a countable noun and needs the article 'a'.
My headache is very hurt.
My headache is very painful.
'hurt' is a verb; use 'painful' to describe the sensation.

2. a person, situation, or task that causes a lot of worry, effort, frustration, or

2.nounB2
Definition

a person, situation, or task that causes a lot of worry, effort, frustration, or difficulty.

Example

Finding a reliable plumber in this town has been a real headache for us.

pattern: be a headache for [someone]

The old accounting software is a constant headache for Quan and his team.

collocation: constant headache

Common collocations
  • real headache
  • constant headache
  • huge headache
  • massive headache
  • a headache for
  • cause a headache
Synonyms
  • problem

    more neutral; a difficulty that needs to be solved

  • nuisance

    milder; something annoying but not deeply worrying

  • hassle

    informal; something that causes trouble or inconvenience

Antonyms
  • breeze

    informal; something very easy to deal with

  • solution

    the answer that removes the difficulty

Grammar Patterns

be + a + headache + for + [someone]

cause / create + a + headache + for + [someone]

Usage Note

This metaphorical sense is always countable and typically used in the singular. Common modifiers include real, constant, huge, massive, and big. The pattern 'a headache for [someone]' is the most frequent structure.

Common Mistakes

This project is headache to me.
This project is a headache for me.
needs the article 'a' and the preposition 'for'.
The traffic is a headache to go to work every day.
The traffic is a headache when I go to work every day.
use a clause, not 'to + infinitive', after 'a headache'.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Headache specifically refers to pain or discomfort felt inside the head. Ache describes a continuous, dull pain that can occur anywhere in the body, such as a stomach ache or a toothache. Pain is the broadest of these terms, covering any type of physical suffering from mild to severe, in any body part. Migraine is a medical term for a specific, severe type of headache that often comes with nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light or sound. Soreness usually means tenderness or mild pain, typically in muscles after exercise. For example: 'I had a splitting headache from the noise.' gives a specific location and intensity, while 'I have a dull ache in my lower back.' conveys a longer-lasting, less sharp sensation.

ache ↗pain ↗migraine ↗soreness

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • a headache for someone
  • cause a headache
  • give someone a headache

Prepositions

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

Headache comes from the Old English word hēafodece, which is a combination of hēafod (head) and ece (ache or pain). The word has been used in English since the 13th century. The metaphorical meaning — a troublesome problem — first appeared in the late 1800s.