THE IDIOM COLLECTION LEARN & PRACTISE
A pain in the neck
Understand the meaning. See it in context. Make it yours.
01 / UNDERSTAND
Meaning in plain English
A person, task or situation that is very annoying.
02 / SEE IT IN CONTEXT
The expression in a sentence
- Filling in the same details on five forms is a pain in the neck.
03 / CHECK YOUR UNDERSTANDING
Quick idiom quiz
Try the question without looking back, then write a sentence of your own. You can retry as often as you like.
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Can you recall the expression?
Complete the example using the expression from this lesson.
Filling in the same details on five forms is ________.
Show the answer
A pain in the neck — A person, task or situation that is very annoying.
Try your own sentence (optional)
Make it yours
Write one sentence using “A pain in the neck” about your own life.
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Does your sentence match this meaning?
A person, task or situation that is very annoying.
Compare: Filling in the same details on five forms is a pain in the neck.
Check the spelling and how the expression fits the sentence. Your example can be different.
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More ways to understand and use it
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When to use it
Use it informally when a troublesome task or repeated problem frustrates you. Calling a person this can sound unkind, so be careful.
More examples in context
- The broken printer has been a pain in the neck all week.
- Moving all those boxes upstairs was a real pain in the neck.
Usage note
Say a pain in the neck, including the articles. It can also describe actual physical discomfort, so context matters.
A short conversation
A: Did you finish the registration?
B: Yes, but the website was a pain in the neck. It kept losing my answers.
A: That sounds frustrating.
One more practice question
What does “This faulty lock is a pain in the neck” mean?
A. The lock is annoying to deal with.
B. The lock is especially easy to use.
Check your answer
A. The speaker is complaining that the faulty lock causes annoyance.
Related lessons
Meaning and usage checked against Cambridge Dictionary. Explanations, examples and conversation are original.