as in disturbing
causing worry or anxiety
I have this nagging feeling that something will still go wrong
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in urging
to subject (someone) to constant scoldings and sharp reminders
she kept nagging him to fix the furnace before the weather got any colder
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in complaining
to express dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment usually tiresomely
if all you can do is nag, then you are of no use to this organization at all
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of nagging
Katie Walsh, Twin Cities, 2 May 2026
Ohm is an unlikely hero, but the nagging mystery gets its hooks into him, and the only way out is through.
—Katie Walsh, Boston Herald, 1 May 2026
Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2026
So don't push through that nagging feeling.
—Tiffany Aliche, SELF, 30 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for nagging
Adjective
Ohm is an unlikely hero, but the nagging mystery gets its hooks into him, and the only way out is through.
—Katie Walsh, Twin Cities, 2 May 2026
Ohm is an unlikely hero, but the nagging mystery gets its hooks into him, and the only way out is through.
—Katie Walsh, Boston Herald, 1 May 2026
Verb
Just listen to Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Milwaukee Bucks star who has been shut down since March 15 because the Bucks didn’t want his nagging injuries to worsen and affect either his trade value or his 2026-27 season.
—Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2026
So don't push through that nagging feeling.
—Tiffany Aliche, SELF, 30 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for nagging
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nagging
Adjective
-
Fetish camboy Aaron Eagle (Kieron Moore) agrees to spend the night with an anonymous client, only to discover a disturbing tie to his past.—
Jill Goldsmith,
Deadline,
10 May 2026
-
In the spring of 2018, federal prosecutors arrested both Raniere and Mack (along with four other individuals) and leveled disturbing accusations against the pair.—
Lynsey Eidell,
PEOPLE,
9 May 2026
Verb
-
Iran’s leaders have been trying to shore up the homefront by showing sympathy while also urging the public to endure the economic pain for the sake of the war effort.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
13 May 2026
-
Rich Greenfield of LightShed Partners offered a similar take, urging D’Amaro to split the company’s linear TV assets from its entertainment and streaming operations.—
Jill Goldsmith,
Deadline,
13 May 2026
Verb
-
There have been 72 police reports filed in the past three months alone, complaining that mailed checks have been stolen and washed by criminals who are cashing them for tens of thousands of dollars.—
J.D. Miles,
CBS News,
8 May 2026
-
While there are some athletes complaining about representing the United States on a global stage, the hockey players have embraced being proud of wearing the red, white and blue.—
Dan Zaksheske OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
7 May 2026
Adjective
-
Tensions mount, especially when Matt reenters the picture, and Max Fabian’s fight choreography creates some unsettling moments.—
Emily McClanathan,
Chicago Tribune,
14 May 2026
-
And that is not even touching on all the unsettling racial humor that came with having Shane Gillis and Tony Hinchliffe — two comedians who have actually faced backlash for hate speech — on the dais for the roast of a Black entertainer.—
Marcus Jones,
IndieWire,
13 May 2026
Verb
-
Ring camera footage obtained by the outlet shows a woman frantically knocking on a neighbor's door and begging for help moments after the child was struck.—
Desiree Anello,
PEOPLE,
9 May 2026
-
There were cheers and kids begging for high-fives from him.—
Alex Zietlow,
Charlotte Observer,
9 May 2026
Verb
-
On the night that everything changed, one of them would end the night screaming, and the other, in my opinion, didn't scream enough.—
Carly Tagen-Dye,
PEOPLE,
11 May 2026
-
Dramatic doorbell camera video shows the moment the man ran out of her home, and Cooper can be heard screaming in the background.—
Tara Lynch,
CBS News,
11 May 2026
Adjective
-
Now, more than a year later, trees that had survived the flames are disappearing at a troubling rate.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
7 May 2026
-
Multiple sources told OutKick that UAB administrators were stunned to hear just how troubling some of these allegations were that have been brought forth by players and parents.—
Trey Wallace OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
7 May 2026
Verb
-
Tell him that his approach to the trip is bothering you.—
Harriette Cole,
Mercury News,
14 May 2026
-
Try taking 10 to 15 minutes each day to write out what's bothering you.—
Pien Huang,
NPR,
2 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Nagging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nagging. Accessed 15 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
