Synonyms

nagging

American

[nag-ing] / ˈnæg ɪŋ /

adjective

continually faultfinding, complaining, or petulant.

a nagging parent.
persistently recurring; unrelenting.

a nagging backache.

Other Word Forms

naggingness noun
unnagging adjective
unnaggingly adverb

Etymology

Origin of nagging

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

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.

Dodgers left fielder Teoscar Hernández admitted he played through a nagging left groin injury last year, which forced him to miss time early in the season.

From Los Angeles Times

Hernández acknowledged Tuesday that he played through a nagging left groin injury last year, which forced him to miss time early in the season.

From Los Angeles Times

A good job, then, that she pushed away all nagging feelings that this might have been one Games too many.

From BBC

Tensions between the U.S. and Iran have been a nagging worry across financial markets for months, with recent jitters pushing up the “risk premium” in the price of oil.

From MarketWatch

The hot water felt good, even though Mom and Dad were always nagging about not wasting water and energy.

From Literature

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