- present participle of nag.
nagging
Americanadjective
-
continually faultfinding, complaining, or petulant.
a nagging parent.
-
persistently recurring; unrelenting.
a nagging backache.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of nagging
Explanation
Something that's nagging really bothers you — whether it's your nagging older sister, reminding you to take out the trash, or a nagging headache that lingers all day. A nagging boss might continually complain about your work — you could also describe her as "overcritical" or "faultfinding." When a physical pain or discomfort is nagging, it's just as disagreeable, tormenting or irritating you in an ongoing way, like a nagging pain in your lower back. The source of nagging is nag, which originally meant "gnaw or bite."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
But that’s precisely why I couldn’t seem to shake that one nagging question: What’s the point of all this?
From Salon ● Jul. 18, 2026
The Reserve Bank of New Zealand raised interest rates Wednesday in what appeared to be a tentative move by policy makers to combat nagging inflation pressures.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 9, 2026
But there was only so much he could do in the middle of the season, while playing through nagging ankle issues.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 28, 2026
It said that, in many cases, this was done through "prolonged nagging and with unpleasant and condescending language".
From BBC ● Jun. 16, 2026
But there was something nagging deep inside of me that grew stronger by the moment.
From "The Rock and the River" by Kekla Magoon
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
