hairball
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
A messy, tangled, intractable issue.
Register: slang
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Examples
The contract negotiations are turning into a real hairball.
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “hairball” mean?
A messy, tangled, intractable issue.
Is “hairball” formal or informal?
hairball is generally slang.