nag
1 Americanverb (used with object)
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nags,
present (3rd person singular)
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nagged,
past participle, past
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nagging
present participle
verb (used without object)
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nags,
present (3rd person singular)
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nagged,
past participle, past
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nagging
present participle
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to find fault or complain in an irritating, wearisome, or relentless manner (often followed byat ).
If they start nagging at each other, I'm going home.
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to cause pain, discomfort, distress, depression, etc. (often followed byat ).
This headache has been nagging at me all day.
noun
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Also a person who nags, especially habitually.
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an act or instance of nagging.
His constant nagging finally got the best of me and I lost my temper.
noun
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an old, inferior, or worthless horse.
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Slang. any horse, especially a racehorse.
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a small riding horse or pony.
verb
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to scold or annoy constantly
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to be a constant source of discomfort or worry (to)
toothache nagged him all day
noun
noun
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derogatory a horse
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a small riding horse
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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nagsimple
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nagssimple
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have naggedperfect
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has naggedperfect
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am naggingprogressive
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are naggingprogressive
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is naggingprogressive
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have been naggingperfect progressive
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has been naggingperfect progressive
Past
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naggedsimple
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had naggedperfect
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was naggingprogressive
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were naggingprogressive
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had been naggingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of nag1
First recorded in 1820–30; from Old Norse nagga “to rub, grumble, quarrel”; akin to Middle Low German naggen “to irritate”; see gnaw
Origin of nag2
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English nag(ge); connected with Dutch neg(ge) “small horse,” of obscure origin; said to be akin to neigh
Explanation
When you ask for something over and over AND over again, you are nagging. If you nag your parents long enough, they'll either give in and get you a puppy, or simply refuse any pets at all — not even a goldfish. When you nag someone, you complain and pester them. Your teacher might nag you about a late assignment, or you might nag your friend to give you back the sweater he borrowed. A thought or worry can also nag you, simply by staying in your thoughts. The word nag meant "gnaw" before the 1820s, from a Scandinavian root.
Vocabulary lists containing nag
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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.
See Examples For:
I don’t want to nag, but neither do I want to be a doormat.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 9, 2025
A few doubts nag him, such as: what are he and his team accomplishing by sorting random numbers?
From Salon ● Mar. 22, 2025
"Richard was incredibly keen on transplants and he used to nag me, 'what do you want to do?' and I was a bit wishy washy about it and wouldn't really answer."
From BBC ● Sep. 18, 2024
“You know, taking care of my body more, being more aware. Like whenever there is a nag or something, you’re right on it. That’s made a big difference.”
From Seattle Times ● Nov. 9, 2023
He doesn’t feel this always, just enough to nag at him, settling over his thoughts like a web.
From "The Namesake" by Jhumpa Lahiri
I admire the image, but my conscience nags that one should have to trek halfway around the world to see such a thing.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 1, 2026
These portrayals were part of an even longer history of depicting wives as nags and harridans, a narrative device that can be found in the Old Testament.
From Salon ● Apr. 8, 2026
Still, it nags, especially given Alvarez’s commitment elsewhere to grungy practical sets and props.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2024
But at the top of that list, people who know him say, is a concern that nags at him as a father: the legal problems of his son, Hunter Biden.
From New York Times ● Jun. 2, 2024
Townsfolk regularly tried to pass off halfdead or gingered up nags to us, knowing that by the time we discovered our mistakes we’d be miles and days away.
From "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss
As summer enters its final laps, at last I have the answer to a question that has nagged at me for more than half a century.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 3, 2026
Boland nagged away, having Will Jacks athletically caught by Carey, once again up to the stumps.
From BBC ● Dec. 18, 2025
And when I returned in the fall of 2023 to watch Pretzel again, the feeling nagged at me that maybe I could.
From Slate ● Apr. 8, 2025
Murray, who was nagged by a strained left calf during the first-round series against the Los Angeles Lakers, has been bothered by right elbow pain in the past.
From Seattle Times ● May 17, 2024
The memory of it nagged at me whenever I saw the sea from the terrace.
From "Rebecca" by Daphne du Maurier
He’d played through nagging knee and biceps injuries for most of the season.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 14, 2026
It also saves him from making turns, which is easier on a nagging hip injury he carried in college.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 10, 2026
"It's that nagging feeling of dread," says 25-year old Eleanor Tobin who works in marketing and events in London.
From BBC ● Oct. 6, 2026
He moved through his late teen years with a nagging sense he was different from others.
From Slate ● Sep. 22, 2026
There are so many questions, so many things she longs to discuss despite her father’s constant nagging about not concerning herself with her opponent.
From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
