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 our patience down …—
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
Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 27 Nov. 2025
Later though, the conversation niggled at me.
—Rachel Linden, PEOPLE, 4 Oct. 2025
Beren Cross, New York Times, 14 Jan. 2026
Those niggles might point some people to another watch, but all the other features (including the small, light design and the very friendly $250 price) will make the Coros Pace 4 an easy sell for every runner from the weekend warrior to the aspiring Olympic qualifier.
—Jakob Schiller, Outside, 15 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for niggle
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.
Verb
With good cause, too, as Paul Mullin had become such an integral figure by the 2022-23 National League run-in that a niggling knee problem was enough to prompt the club to go out and buy Barrow’s Billy Waters as cover.
—Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 27 Nov. 2025
Later though, the conversation niggled at me.
—Rachel Linden, PEOPLE, 4 Oct. 2025
Noun
Bijol has been bulletproof up to now, but Bornauw, who missed 18 games last season for Wolfsburg due to injury and illness, has continued to struggle with niggles since his summer move.
—Beren Cross, New York Times, 14 Jan. 2026
Those niggles might point some people to another watch, but all the other features (including the small, light design and the very friendly $250 price) will make the Coros Pace 4 an easy sell for every runner from the weekend warrior to the aspiring Olympic qualifier.
—Jakob Schiller, Outside, 15 Dec. 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 1 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
