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Synonyms

headache

American  
[hed-eyk] / ˈhɛdˌeɪk /

noun

  1. a pain located in the head, as over the eyes, at the temples, or at the base of the skull.

  2. an annoying or bothersome person, situation, activity, etc.

headache British  
/ ˈhɛdˌeɪk /

noun

  1. 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

  2. informal any cause of worry, difficulty, or annoyance

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
headache Scientific  
/ hĕd′āk′ /

  1. 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.

  2. See also cluster headache migraine

Etymology

Origin of headache

before 1000; Middle English; Old English hēafodece. See head, ache

Compare meaning

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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.

Within 24 hours, Meg's symptoms - including a fever, headache, vomiting and a rash - had worsened.

From BBC • Apr. 3, 2026

Flea-borne typhus infection symptoms include fever, headache, chills, body aches and a rash on or around the chest, sides and back.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026

His sacking, over allegations related to his personal conduct, leaves something of a headache for BBC Radio 2 executives.

From BBC • Mar. 31, 2026

Early Lyme symptoms include a rash, fatigue, muscle and joint pain, headache and fever, but can often be overlooked or misinterpreted.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 23, 2026

He held his head and told me he had a severe headache.

From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.