niggled; niggling
ˈni-g(ə-)liŋ 
1
a
: trifle
b
: to spend too much effort on minor details
2
: to find fault constantly in a petty way : carp
she haggles, she niggles, she wears out our patience—
Virginia Woolf
Virginia Woolf3
: gnaw
: to give stingily or in tiny portions
chiefly British
: a trifling doubt, objection, or complaint
Examples of niggle in a Sentence
Verb
She had been niggled by worry her entire life.
He's always niggling over small details.
Noun
I've had a knee niggle for the past few days.
He has a bit of a niggle in his back.
I have a few minor niggles about the performance.
Recent Examples on the Web
Naomi Lim, The Washington Examiner, 13 June 2025
Minor niggles aside, this is a great power station to serve as a home backup or off-grid generator.
—Simon Hill, Wired News, 5 June 2025
Tom Sanderson, Forbes, 16 Jan. 2025
Either side of that knock and a muscle niggle in December, Fati has been unable to convince Flick of his worth as the German revealed in a prematch press conference to preview Wednesday's 5-1 Copa del Rey last 16 win over Real Betis.
—Tom Sanderson, Forbes, 16 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for niggle
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Verb
In contrast, Pritzker took a more assertive posture during the hearing in which he was also niggled on off-topics, including Illinois’s transgender policies.
—Naomi Lim, The Washington Examiner, 13 June 2025
Minor niggles aside, this is a great power station to serve as a home backup or off-grid generator.
—Simon Hill, Wired News, 5 June 2025
Noun
Either side of that knock and a muscle niggle in December, Fati has been unable to convince Flick of his worth as the German revealed in a prematch press conference to preview Wednesday's 5-1 Copa del Rey last 16 win over Real Betis.
—Tom Sanderson, Forbes, 16 Jan. 2025
Either side of that knock and a muscle niggle in December, Fati has been unable to convince Flick of his worth as the German revealed in a prematch press conference to preview Wednesday's 5-1 Copa del Rey last 16 win over Real Betis.
—Tom Sanderson, Forbes, 16 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for niggle
Cite this Entry
“Niggle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/niggle. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.
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