often attributive
1
2
: a woody plant bearing sharp impeding processes (such as prickles or spines)
especially
: hawthorn
3
: something that causes distress or irritation
—often used in the phrase thorn in one's side
4
: the runic letter þ used in Old English and Middle English to represent either of the fricatives \th\ or \t͟h\ and in Icelandic to represent \th\
Synonyms
Examples of thorn in a Sentence
your constant questions are a thorn in my side
Recent Examples on the Web
In all instances, Sidewinder is a villain and a perpetual thorn in Captain America's side.
—
Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 28 July 2024
Brussels’ mainstream leaders will also be relieved that Hungary’s authoritarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, for so long a thorn in the EU’s side, was dealt a blow on Sunday.
—Rob Picheta, CNN, 10 June 2024
Every rose has its thorn, and The Bachelorette star Jenn Tran stuck a comical jab into her latest interview on Live With Kelly and Mark.
—EW.com, 8 July 2024
Poyer brings that winning experience from the Bills, who have been a thorn in the Dolphins’ side for, essentially, his whole career in Buffalo.
—David Furones, Sun Sentinel, 14 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for thorn 
Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 28 July 2024
Brussels’ mainstream leaders will also be relieved that Hungary’s authoritarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, for so long a thorn in the EU’s side, was dealt a blow on Sunday.
—Rob Picheta, CNN, 10 June 2024
Every rose has its thorn, and The Bachelorette star Jenn Tran stuck a comical jab into her latest interview on Live With Kelly and Mark.
—EW.com, 8 July 2024
Poyer brings that winning experience from the Bills, who have been a thorn in the Dolphins’ side for, essentially, his whole career in Buffalo.
—David Furones, Sun Sentinel, 14 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for thorn
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'thorn.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Thorn.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thorn. Accessed 18 Aug. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
thorn
noun1
: a woody plant bearing sharp processes (as prickles or spines)
especially
: hawthorn
2
: a sharp stiff process on a plant
especially
: a stem modified into a short, stiff, and leafless sharp point
3
: something or someone that causes distress or irritation
—often used in the phrase thorn in one's side
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