nettlesome

adjective

net·​tle·​some ˈne-tᵊl-səm How to pronounce nettlesome (audio)
: causing vexation : irritating

Examples of nettlesome in a Sentence

a few nettlesome details that still required attention
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
When the Titanic sunk, Captain Edward John Smith could have blamed the disaster on climate putting that nettlesome ice berg in the ship’s path. Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 22 Jan. 2025 Back had gone on to serve as a kind of surrogate father figure for the bright and nettlesome young man. Gideon Lewis-Kraus, The New Yorker, 9 Oct. 2024 Sessions and Mfume are only the latest legislators who have tried to solve this nettlesome problem over the past couple of decades. Kevin R. Kosar, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 21 Mar. 2025 In addition, the nettlesome increase in auto insurance is likely to continue, rising 0.5% in November after posting a 14% increase over the past year, Goldman estimated. Jeff Cox, CNBC, 10 Dec. 2024 See All Example Sentences for nettlesome

Word History

First Known Use

1845, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of nettlesome was in 1845

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Nettlesome.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nettlesome. Accessed 21 Apr. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!