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 of nagging

• disturbing
• unsettling
• troubling
• troublesome
• nasty

Examples of nagging in a Sentence

I have this nagging feeling that something will still go wrong

Recent Examples on the Web

Chicago will need a new mayor willing to immediately tackle daunting challenges — a budget bordering on insolvency, nagging neighborhood crime, and a failing education system led by a powerful and unaccountable teachers union. —Juan Rangel, Chicago Tribune, 8 Mar. 2026

Amid nagging injuries and struggles with his swing, Every made just 25 of 77 cuts and posted four top-25 finishes during the next three seasons. —Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 7 Mar. 2026

That means potentially shutting down or reducing ice time for some of its biggest stars who are playing through nagging injuries. —Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 7 Mar. 2026

Fighting through it The Gophers’ rotation is down to six players but a few of them are playing hurt, including post player Grayson Grove, who is dealing with a nagging shoulder injury. —Andy Greder, Twin Cities, 6 Mar. 2026

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