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
Four days earlier, head coach Rick Pitino had suggested Smith could miss the remainder of the regular season due to a nagging neck/shoulder injury.
—Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 18 Feb. 2025
Tom’s nagging emptiness does not have a core of profundity, but he’s also not passed off as a comic type (despite hauling out the same story about a bet with Rafael Nadal).
—Nicolas Rapold, Deadline, 16 Feb. 2025
Kyle Dugger struggled for much of last season while he was slowed by a nagging ankle injury that should be healed for 2025, and fellow starting safety Jabrill Peppers missed seven games while on the commissioner’s exempt list.
—Chad Graff, The Athletic, 13 Feb. 2025
More news: Former Phillies, Mets Pitcher Returns to Another NL East Rival's Staff
A nagging wrist injury continued to hinder Arroyo into the regular season, preventing him from establishing himself at Triple-A Nashville.
—Newsweek, 13 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nagging
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.
Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 18 Feb. 2025
Tom’s nagging emptiness does not have a core of profundity, but he’s also not passed off as a comic type (despite hauling out the same story about a bet with Rafael Nadal).
—Nicolas Rapold, Deadline, 16 Feb. 2025
Kyle Dugger struggled for much of last season while he was slowed by a nagging ankle injury that should be healed for 2025, and fellow starting safety Jabrill Peppers missed seven games while on the commissioner’s exempt list.
—Chad Graff, The Athletic, 13 Feb. 2025
More news: Former Phillies, Mets Pitcher Returns to Another NL East Rival's Staff
A nagging wrist injury continued to hinder Arroyo into the regular season, preventing him from establishing himself at Triple-A Nashville.
—Newsweek, 13 Feb. 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 3 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share