pain in the neck

American  

idiom

1. Informal. an annoying or troublesome person, process, or thing.

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pain in the neck More Idioms  

1. Also,. A source of annoyance, a nuisance, as in Joan is a real pain in the neck, with her constant complaining, or Jack told his brother to stop being a pain in the ass. The first of these colloquial expressions dates from about 1900 and originated as a euphemism for the two less polite variants.

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

pain in the neck

This isn’t merely a pain in the neck for Mr. Mandelson.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 4, 2026

Dr. Sollmann pointed out that non-invasive treatment options that directly target the site of pain in the neck muscles could be highly effective and safer than systemic drugs.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 29, 2023

“It was as much a pain in the neck as it was a beauty to be in.”

From Washington Post ● Jan. 20, 2023

It was enacted in 1917, when Congress grew weary of having to vote on every proposed bond issuance, which it considered a pain in the neck.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 19, 2022

“That old pain in the neck is just jealous of you,” she said, and cackled.

From "Dead End in Norvelt" by Jack Gantos