headache
Americannoun
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headaches
plural
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a pain located in the head, as over the eyes, at the temples, or at the base of the skull.
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an annoying or bothersome person, situation, activity, etc.
noun
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Technical name: cephalalgia. pain in the head, caused by dilation of cerebral arteries, muscle contraction, insufficient oxygen in the cerebral blood, reaction to drugs, etc
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informal any cause of worry, difficulty, or annoyance
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Pain in the head, caused by stimulation of or pressure to any of various structures of the head, such as tissue covering the cranium, cranial nerves, or blood vessels. Headache can be a primary disorder, as in migraine or cluster headaches, or a common symptom associated with head injury or many illnesses such as acute infection, brain tumor or abscess, eye disorders such as glaucoma, dental disease, and hypertension.
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See also cluster headache migraine
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of headache
before 1000; Middle English; Old English hēafodece. See head, ache
Compare meaning
How does headache compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
A headache is a pain or ache in your head, especially one that lasts longer than a few minutes. You might get a headache after a day of staring at a computer screen. There are many reasons for getting a headache, from staying up too late to a stressful day to skipping your morning cup of coffee. A more serious type of headache, like a migraine, might keep you home from work for a day, but most headaches are just a nuisance. You can also describe a problem or struggle as a figurative headache: "Learning Danish is turning out to be a real headache." In Old English, the word was heafodece.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
However, it is in forward areas where O'Neill perhaps has his biggest headache.
From BBC ● Oct. 15, 2026
Iranian ballistic missiles have also proved a headache for Israel, the U.S. and Gulf states, which have all expended large stockpiles of expensive interceptors to shoot them down, not always successfully.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026
Wet weather has drenched the Games since Sunday, another headache for organisers wrestling with complaints from teams about accommodation and transport.
From Barron's ● Sep. 29, 2026
It was an evocative choice - and a logistical headache.
From BBC ● Sep. 24, 2026
Uncle Kufa had given two serval skins to the nganga in return for headache medicine, and the nganga had made himself a ceremonial hat.
From "A Girl Named Disaster" by Nancy Farmer
AI agents bring new headaches to online sellers.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 16, 2026
His four-year-old is sick too, complaining of headaches and general weakness.
From Barron's ● Oct. 15, 2026
Basildon Hospital in Essex settled claims from 121 staff, including 85 midwives, who took legal action after reporting fatigue, anxiety, headaches and "brain fog" after the gas levels breached safety limits.
From BBC ● Oct. 13, 2026
Those headaches are now at the courthouse door, presenting particularly unusual challenges for the justice system.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 11, 2026
Mama had plaited it in the hospital, but because of my raging headaches, she did not make the braids tight.
From "Purple Hibiscus" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
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