nag

¹

[nag]

verb (used with object)

nagged, nagging 

1. to annoy by persistent faultfinding, complaints, or demands.

   Synonyms: vex, irritate, hector, harass, pester

2. to keep in a state of troubled awareness or anxiety, as a recurrent pain or problem.

   She had certain misgivings that nagged her.

verb (used without object)

nagged, nagging 

1. 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.

2. to cause pain, discomfort, distress, depression, etc. (often followed byat ).

   This headache has been nagging at me all day.

noun

1. Also a person who nags, especially habitually.

2. an act or instance of nagging.

   His constant nagging finally got the best of me and I lost my temper.

nag

²

[nag]

noun

1. an old, inferior, or worthless horse.

2. Slang.,  any horse, especially a racehorse.

3. a small riding horse or pony.

nag

¹

/ næɡ /

verb

1. to scold or annoy constantly

2. to be a constant source of discomfort or worry (to)

   toothache nagged him all day

noun

1. a person, esp a woman, who nags

nag

²

/ næɡ /

noun

1. derogatory,  a horse

2. a small riding horse

Other Word Forms

• unnagged adjective
• nagger noun
• naggingly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of nag¹

First recorded in 1820–30; from Old Norse nagga “to rub, grumble, quarrel”; akin to Middle Low German naggen “to irritate”; 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

Word History and Origins

Origin of nag¹

C19: of Scandinavian origin; compare Swedish nagga to _gnaw , irritate, German nagen

Origin of nag²

C14: of Germanic origin; related to _neigh

Example Sentences

The balance between attack and defence has been the issue nagging England throughout Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum's reign as captain.

Read more on BBC

Perhaps she was still discombobulated from the fall, but Penelope had a nagging sense that Judge Quinzy’s tale did not quite add up.

Read more on Literature

No one today any longer wishes to hear jokes about nagging mothers-in-law, spendthrift wives or old jalopies, and the men and women who once told them to hardy plaudits are now forgotten.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Doncic, whose weight has fluctuated and who has sometimes missed games with nagging injuries, didn’t quite fit the template.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The actor said she was diagnosed with the disease earlier this year after consulting a doctor about a nagging feeling that something “wasn’t quite right” with her body.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• annoy 
• badger 
• berate 
• fuss 
• hector 
• hound 
• irk 
• irritate 
• pester 
• scold 
• tease 
• torment 
• vex