1 hair shirt | Definition of hair shirt
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hair shirt

noun

Definition of hair shirt

1 : a shirt made of rough animal hair worn next to the skin as a penance
2 : one that irritates like a hair shirt
Synonyms Example Sentences Learn More about hair shirt

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Examples of hair shirt in a Sentence

the constant need to cut costs was a hair shirt, but one that the theater company had to live with

Recent Examples on the Web

 On the evidence in these pages, a hair shirt will not be in Sunstein’s future. — Aaron Timms, The New Republic, "The Sameness of Cass Sunstein," 20 June 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'hair shirt.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of hair shirt

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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More from Merriam-Webster on hair shirt

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with hair shirt

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for hair shirt

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