Definition

Noun: 1. A pain located in the head: A common condition characterized by pain or discomfort in the region of the head or neck. This can be caused by various factors such as dilation of cerebral arteries, muscle contractions, or reactions to drugs. 2. (Informal) A persistent or worrying problem: A source of difficulty, worry, or annoyance.

Usage Examples

• Noun (Medical):
  • I have a terrible headache and need to lie down.
  • Bright lights can sometimes trigger a migraine headache.
• Noun (Problem):
  • The constant software bugs are a real headache for the development team.
  • Finding a parking spot in the city center is always a headache.

Advanced Usage

• "To have a headache": To experience head pain.
  • She has a headache and won't be joining us for dinner.
• "A splitting headache": An idiom for an extremely severe headache.
  • The loud noise gave me a splitting headache.

Variants and Related Words

• Headachy (adjective): Resembling or characteristic of a headache; causing a headache.
  • I feel headachy and tired.
• Migraine (noun): A specific, often severe type of headache, usually accompanied by nausea and sensitivity to light/sound.
• Cephalalgia (noun): The formal medical term for a headache.

Synonyms

• Cephalalgia (medical term)
• Migraine (for a specific severe type)
• Problem, bother, nuisance, hassle (for the informal meaning)

Related Phrases

• Tension headache: A common headache often associated with stress and muscle contraction.
• Cluster headache: A severe, recurring headache that occurs in cyclical patterns or clusters.
• Sinus headache: Head pain caused by inflamed sinuses.

Related Idioms

• A real headache: A significant and troublesome problem.
  • Organizing the conference logistics was a real headache.
• A pain in the neck (similar informal meaning): An annoying person or thing.
  • Filling out all these forms is a pain in the neck.

Noun

1. pain in the head caused by dilation of cerebral arteries or muscle contractions or a reaction to drugs