nag

¹ American  

[nag] / næg /

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.

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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 American  

[nag] / næg /

noun

1. an old, inferior, or worthless horse.

2. Slang. any horse, especially a racehorse.

3. a small riding horse or pony.

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nag ¹ British  

/ næɡ /

verb

1. to scold or annoy constantly

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

   toothache nagged him all day

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noun

1. a person, esp a woman, who nags

nag ² British  

/ næɡ /

noun

1. derogatory a horse

2. a small riding horse

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Other Word Forms

• nagger noun
• naggingly adverb
• unnagged adjective

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”; 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

Example Sentences

But continued consolidation in AI also underscores the nagging risks of a bubble focused on the biggest names in the stock market.

From Barron's

It underscores one of Intel’s greatest weaknesses—and a nagging headwind for the stock price.

From Barron's

Still a nagging doubt he has a big score in him before the end of the series.

From BBC

Call it benefits from AI, pricing power, or whatever, but improving profit margins is a big fundamental tailwind that can overcome a lot of risks, including nagging inflation, midterm elections, and geopolitics.

From Barron's

Call it benefits from AI, pricing power, or whatever, but improving profit margins is a big fundamental tailwind that can overcome a lot of risks, including nagging inflation, midterm elections, and geopolitics.

From Barron's

Related Words

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