hangover

This term primarily describes the physiological distress following intoxication, carrying a strong connotation of regret and physical misery. It is used in casual and medical contexts to describe the specific cluster of symptoms like dehydration and sensitivity to light that follow a binge.

When used figuratively, the word describes a stubborn remnant of the past that continues to cause problems in the present. This usage typically implies a sense of burden or an unwanted legacy, such as a political or economic consequence that refuses to disappear long after the original cause has ended.