nag
1 Americanverb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
-
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.
-
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.
-
an act or instance of nagging.
His constant nagging finally got the best of me and I lost my temper.
noun
-
an old, inferior, or worthless horse.
-
Slang. any horse, especially a racehorse.
-
a small riding horse or pony.
verb
-
to scold or annoy constantly
-
to be a constant source of discomfort or worry (to)
toothache nagged him all day
noun
noun
-
derogatory a horse
-
a small riding horse
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
nagsimple
-
nagssimple
-
have naggedperfect
-
has naggedperfect
-
am naggingprogressive
-
are naggingprogressive
-
is naggingprogressive
-
have been naggingperfect progressive
-
has been naggingperfect progressive
Past
-
naggedsimple
-
had naggedperfect
-
was naggingprogressive
-
were naggingprogressive
-
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
Essential Three-Letter Words, Part 3
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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
Then in the script, I'm the nag parent, and Luke Kirby gets to be the fun one, so that nature starts to feed it.
From Salon ● Nov. 22, 2024
"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
I think back to all the times I’ve heard Grandma nag at him about his blood pressure and not eating too much salt.
From "Finding Junie Kim" by Ellen Oh
They tend to start quietly—an elbow that aches after the range, a shoulder that nags during the backswing, a wrist that feels tired late in the round.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 6, 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
And every time HBO Max yanks another movie or TV show I love from the platform, a thought nags at me: Chris was right.
From Slate ● Jan. 21, 2023
Little Fifi nags that she wants to go, and finally her mother gives in.
From "Before We Were Free" by Julia Alvarez
Hugh was advised to monitor his symptoms but Rachel "nagged" him to return to the doctor for further tests.
From BBC ● Jun. 10, 2026
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
These arguably hairsplitting thoughts nagged at me thanks to my job as a congressional correspondent focused on federal spending.
From New York Times ● Jan. 17, 2024
“The corn won’t all be shucked till October,” I nagged.
From "The Teacher’s Funeral" by Richard Peck
SYDNEY—The Reserve Bank of New Zealand raised interest rates Wednesday in what appeared to be a tentative move by policy makers to combat nagging inflation pressures.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 8, 2026
But there was only so much he could do in the middle of the season, while playing through nagging ankle issues.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 28, 2026
As his mother’s grief and legal battles to get Fadi home worsen her mental health, Sattouf’s own life is upended by high school, hormones, heartbreak — and a nagging uncertainty.
From Salon ● Jun. 27, 2026
One factor nagging SpaceX investors is the company’s plan, confirmed on Monday, to offer senior unsecured notes to raise cash and pay off a $20 billion bridge loan.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 23, 2026
“We’re going out today,” Henry said, pushing back the nagging irritation he felt when he saw how easy it was for Naomi.
From "Out of Darkness" by Ashley Hope Pérez
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
