nagging
Americanadjective
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continually faultfinding, complaining, or petulant.
a nagging parent.
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persistently recurring; unrelenting.
a nagging backache.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of nagging
Explanation
Something that's nagging really bothers you — whether it's your nagging older sister, reminding you to take out the trash, or a nagging headache that lingers all day. A nagging boss might continually complain about your work — you could also describe her as "overcritical" or "faultfinding." When a physical pain or discomfort is nagging, it's just as disagreeable, tormenting or irritating you in an ongoing way, like a nagging pain in your lower back. The source of nagging is nag, which originally meant "gnaw or bite."
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.
Looking ahead: Powell, in his final press conference, admitted inflation is still a nagging problem five years after it spiked, but he said he sees no signs the economy is sputtering.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 30, 2026
As Enchassi waited to learn his friend’s fate, a thought kept nagging at him—an impulse he felt ashamed of, but found impossible to ignore.
From Slate • Apr. 19, 2026
He was thrilled, of course, but he also had a nagging worry that Scotland had scored too soon.
From BBC • Mar. 24, 2026
I was 24 and had this nagging idea to become an actress.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 3, 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
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.
