nagging

adjective

nag·​ging ˈna-giŋ 

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

b

: causing continual or recurring pain or discomfort

He'd had a nagging headache all day.

a nagging injury

naggingly

ˈna-giŋ-lē 

adverb

There has always been something naggingly sad about Bonds' career …

—Tim Keown

… something about the book feels naggingly familiar, as if you know how it will end before you start …

—Debra Pickett

Synonyms

• discomforting
• discomposing
• disquieting
• distressing
• disturbing
• nasty
• perturbing
• troublesome
• troubling
• troublous
• unsettling
• upsetting
• worrisome

Examples of nagging in a Sentence

I have this nagging feeling that something will still go wrong

Recent Examples on the Web

My work hours, most notably, but also that little nagging voice in my head that yearns—no, demands—perfection. —Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 1 Mar. 2025

Embiid has been dealing with a nagging knee injury and has tried to play through it. —David Faris, Newsweek, 27 Feb. 2025

Holiday, fighting through some nagging injuries, hasn’t always looked dangerous this season. —Jay King, The Athletic, 23 Feb. 2025

However, a nagging hamstring injury during training camp caused Jackson to miss the first six games of the 2024 season. —Mike Kaye, Charlotte Observer, 22 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1829, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for nagging

• bagging
• bragging
• dragging
• flagging
• gagging
• lagging
• sagging
• slagging
• snagging
• tagging
• wagging
• unflagging