1
: persistently annoying or finding fault with someone
a nagging husband/wife
2
a
: causing continual or recurring worry or anxiety
a nagging fear
This time, the worry is that the housing slowdown will curtail growth before the Federal Reserve gets nagging inflation concerns resolved.—
Scott Patterson
Scott Patterson
b
: causing continual or recurring pain or discomfort
He'd had a nagging headache all day.
a nagging injury
naggingly
adverb
There has always been something naggingly sad about Bonds' career …
—Tim Keown
Tim Keown
… something about the book feels naggingly familiar, as if you know how it will end before you start …
—Debra Pickett
Debra Pickett
Examples of nagging in a Sentence
I have this nagging feeling that something will still go wrong
Recent Examples on the Web
Now nine starts into his campaign after some nagging spring injuries delayed his season debut, Schmidt has a 4.04 ERA.
—Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 5 June 2025
Shin splints are one of those nagging running injuries that often only go away with rest.
—Sara Coughlin, SELF, 5 June 2025
Even as the Kansas City Royals’ long rebuilding effort was finally starting to pay dividends, one nagging deficiency remained.
—Tony Blengino, Forbes.com, 4 June 2025
And some nagging challenges remain: a half-dozen storefronts remain vacant, some with potential tenant deals that fell through.
—Kenneth R. Gosselin, Hartford Courant, 1 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for nagging
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Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 5 June 2025
Shin splints are one of those nagging running injuries that often only go away with rest.
—Sara Coughlin, SELF, 5 June 2025
Even as the Kansas City Royals’ long rebuilding effort was finally starting to pay dividends, one nagging deficiency remained.
—Tony Blengino, Forbes.com, 4 June 2025
And some nagging challenges remain: a half-dozen storefronts remain vacant, some with potential tenant deals that fell through.
—Kenneth R. Gosselin, Hartford Courant, 1 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for nagging
Cite this Entry
“Nagging.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nagging. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.
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