Showing Results for "nagging"

nagging

American

[nag-ing] / ˈnæg ɪŋ /

adjective

continually faultfinding, complaining, or petulant.

a nagging parent.
persistently recurring; unrelenting.

a nagging backache.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Etymology

Origin of nagging

First recorded in 1830–40; nag ¹ + -ing ²

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."

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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.

When Olaosebikan was starting his company four years ago, a nagging question was, "Oh, there's no 'E'. So where would they charge?" he told AFP.

From Barron's • Jun. 8, 2026

Southampton should be starting preparations for the richest game in English football in 10 days' time, but there remains a nagging doubt.

From BBC • May 13, 2026

As Enchassi waited to learn his friend’s fate, a thought kept nagging at him—an impulse he felt ashamed of, but found impossible to ignore.

From Slate • Apr. 19, 2026

The 6-foot-7 forward hadn’t played more than 66 games in a season during his first three years in the NBA, often beset by nagging or unlucky injuries.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 13, 2026

When Mr. Haber had announced that she was ill, I’d had a nagging feeling that it wasn’t true.

From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023