niggle

1 of 2

verb

nig·​gle ˈni-gəl 

niggled; niggling ˈni-g(ə-)liŋ 

intransitive verb

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

3

: gnaw

transitive verb

: to give stingily or in tiny portions

niggler

ˈni-g(ə-)lər 

noun

niggle

2 of 2

noun

chiefly British

: a trifling doubt, objection, or complaint

Synonyms

Verb

• carp
• cavil
• fuss
• nitpick
• quibble

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

Verb

Even now, as the carcass of Fisker gets picked over, the EVs still have niggling problems—window cracks, dysfunctional key fobs, sudden connectivity blackouts—and will unquestionably need servicing and spare parts to keep them running into the future. —Aarian Marshall, WIRED, 30 June 2024

Despite the leadership’s best efforts to focus on the positive, the uncertainty surrounding the future of Goldman’s consumer unit continues to niggle at shareholder faith in the company. —Byeamon Barrett, Fortune, 3 Mar. 2023

Noun

In midfield, an Andreas Christensen with an achilles niggle sits this one out as Ilkay Gundogan retreats as a pivot and provides support to captain Sergio Roberto and Fermin Lopez. —Tom Sanderson, Forbes, 30 Mar. 2024

Use this prompt to explain a niggle and talk it through. —Jodie Cook, Forbes, 14 Feb. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb

origin unknown

First Known Use

Verb

1599, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Noun

1865, in the meaning defined above