royal pain
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Sense 1
Meaning · English
Someone or something that is very annoying.
Register: derogatory, slang
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Examples
And while the spine's no doubt a miraculous array of vertebrae, ligaments, muscle and nerve tissue, it can also be a royal pain in the... well, lower back region.
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).
Sense 2
Meaning · English
A feeling of being very annoyed.
Register: derogatory, slang
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “royal pain” mean?
Someone or something that is very annoying.
Is “royal pain” formal or informal?
royal pain is generally derogatory, slang.