# bone in the throat

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/bone-in-the-throat
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

A source of continuing annoyance; a hindrance.

## Examples

- That loud neighbor is a real bone in the throat.
- The new tax policy has become a bone in the throat for small business owners who struggle to pay it.
- The unresolved border dispute remained a bone in the throat for both nations, preventing any meaningful progress toward a lasting peace treaty.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.