# pebble in one's shoe

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/pebble-in-ones-shoe
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

A small and bothersome issue that may worsen over time.

## Examples

- That small error is a pebble in my shoe.
- The constant noise from the hallway is a pebble in my shoe that makes it hard to focus on work.
- Although the project was largely a success, the unresolved budget discrepancy remained a persistent pebble in his shoe, threatening to undermine the entire endeavor.

---

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.