as in disturbing
causing worry or anxiety
I have this nagging feeling that something will still go wrong
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in urging
to subject (someone) to constant scoldings and sharp reminders
she kept nagging him to fix the furnace before the weather got any colder
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in complaining
to express dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment usually tiresomely
if all you can do is nag, then you are of no use to this organization at all
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of nagging
Samantha Stutsman, People.com, 26 May 2025
Harrison also dealt with last year’s nagging shoulder injury during camp.
—Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 23 May 2025
Penguin Press, June 17 Image El Dorado Drive by Megan Abbott
After skipping town to evade a nagging creditor in 2008, Harper returns to her Detroit suburb months later to find her two older sisters, once in the throes of debt, sporting fresh highlights and driving a Lexus.
—Laura Thompson, New York Times, 22 May 2025
On the plane, however, they’re both haunted by nagging doubts voiced by the plane’s captain for Sam and a flight attendant for Diane.
—Randall Colburn, EW.com, 21 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for nagging
Adjective
With Dina patched up and on the mend, Ellie and Jesse set out to meet up with Tommy — but something is nagging at Jesse, who presses Ellie to spill the news that Dina is pregnant.
—Samantha Stutsman, People.com, 26 May 2025
Harrison also dealt with last year’s nagging shoulder injury during camp.
—Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 23 May 2025
Penguin Press, June 17 Image El Dorado Drive by Megan Abbott
After skipping town to evade a nagging creditor in 2008, Harper returns to her Detroit suburb months later to find her two older sisters, once in the throes of debt, sporting fresh highlights and driving a Lexus.
—Laura Thompson, New York Times, 22 May 2025
On the plane, however, they’re both haunted by nagging doubts voiced by the plane’s captain for Sam and a flight attendant for Diane.
—Randall Colburn, EW.com, 21 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for nagging
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nagging
Adjective
-
Nothing has officially happened yet, but the tension is disturbing with the consequences potentially devastating.—
Mac Engel,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
27 May 2025
-
That’s a quite disturbing possibility since AGI could wield such an act on a scale of immense magnitude and with globally adverse consequences.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
24 May 2025
Verb
-
In 2023, a billboard displaying Graves' photo was placed near the festival site, urging attendees to provide any information to authorities.—
Dan Perry,
Newsweek,
3 Jan. 2025
-
AccuWeather experts are urging travelers to avoid unnecessary travel and to prepare for significant disruptions this weekend.—
Amanda Castro,
Newsweek,
3 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
The Buccaneers started complaining to the officials about fouls.—
CJ Moore,
The Athletic,
8 Jan. 2025
-
That first-round pick became Merriman (although, the Giants aren't complaining).—
Ryan Morik,
Fox News,
8 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
For Armstrong, capturing the humanity of these men paints a more unsettling portrait than pure billionaire-trolling might.—
Charlie Warzel,
The Atlantic,
30 May 2025
-
The main case under investigation is unsettling and satisfyingly intricate, with ample thematic connections to Morck, Akram and Rose’s respective forms of psychological damage.—
Daniel Fienberg,
HollywoodReporter,
29 May 2025
Verb
-
If your home is begging for a refresh, don’t miss the chance to save on furniture and decor at Wayfair’s epic spring sale.—
Ali Faccenda,
People.com,
24 Mar. 2025
-
Rebecca was then allegedly seen on camera begging Yolanda to call 911 multiple times as her wife told her to go back inside.—
Bailey Richards,
People.com,
23 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Most troubling is a lack of true concern or remedies for a huge problem for America, our national debt, and the service on that $36 trillion debt, which amounts to almost a trillion dollars a year.—
Gary Franks,
Hartford Courant,
6 June 2025
-
Furthermore, the occurrence is arguably even more troubling since newer vehicles have become so reliant on software for driving features.—
Charles Singh,
USA Today,
6 June 2025
Verb
-
Rodin Cars The big idea behind Rodin is to build cars without bothering about vehicle regulations – in stark contrast to F1 cars, which are subject to several rules around how they're put together.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
2 Jan. 2025
-
The city and state have also been ramping up efforts to engage troubled vagrants sleeping and sometimes bothering straphangers, connecting them with services and shelter and potentially involuntary treatment.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
27 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
The whining about everyone else didn’t help, either.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
31 Dec. 2024
-
Stop whining and thank your lucky stars for having a job.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes,
27 Dec. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Nagging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nagging. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share