as in disturbing
causing worry or anxiety
I have this nagging feeling that something will still go wrong
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
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Recent Examples of nagging
Jayson Greene, Pitchfork, 9 Apr. 2026
India dealt with nagging injuries and inconsistent production.
—Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 7 Apr. 2026
Greg Luca, San Antonio Express-News, 22 Mar. 2026
Figure out what’s nagging you in the back of your mind.
—Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 4 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for nagging
Adjective
Is this not the precise sound of learning to let go of nagging old fears of unworthiness?
—Jayson Greene, Pitchfork, 9 Apr. 2026
India dealt with nagging injuries and inconsistent production.
—Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 7 Apr. 2026
Verb
McCown faced nagging trouble with his shoulder, leg and groin through the 2025 season.
—Greg Luca, San Antonio Express-News, 22 Mar. 2026
Figure out what’s nagging you in the back of your mind.
—Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 4 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for nagging
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nagging
Adjective
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The story centers on a young couple (Charles Melton and Cailee Spaeny) whose lives become entangled with their volatile boss and his wife (Isaac and Carey Mulligan) after witnessing a disturbing incident at an elite country club.—
Clayton Davis,
Variety,
19 Apr. 2026
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Before the footage was shown, as PEOPLE previously reported, Judge George Gallagher warned those in the courtroom that the material would be disturbing.—
Christina Coulter,
PEOPLE,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
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With the company’s board and multiple proxy advisory firms urging shareholders to vote yes, the deal is expected to be approved, moving Paramount closer to taking over its much bigger rival.—
Brian Stelter,
CNN Money,
22 Apr. 2026
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People flooded the brand's comments field, urging the company to bring back their old chai latte.—
Andrea Margolis,
FOXNews.com,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
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This is why all the whining and complaining from small market teams across the sport is manipulative nonsense.—
Ian Miller OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
17 Apr. 2026
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There was crying, complaining, dissociating and even laughing on those couches.—
Wendy C. Ortiz,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Skeptics point out oral exams can be unsettling for students who are shy or have serious anxiety, but clarifying the format ahead of time and starting with softball questions can help, says Carolyn Aslan, who leads Cornell’s oral exam training.—
Jocelyn Gecker,
Fortune,
23 Apr. 2026
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West Texas Intermediate crude, the American benchmark, was once again nearing $100 per barrel, an unsettling development.—
Jeff Marks,
CNBC,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The Blue Jays have been begging for a spark for the last six games, anything to reignite an offence and bring home a win.—
Mitch Bannon,
New York Times,
9 Apr. 2026
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From the colorful pattern to the movement of her blouse, every inch of Hudson's outfit is begging to be worn during a breezy brunch outside with friends.—
Chanel Vargas,
InStyle,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
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On the Sonora stage Sunday, the 22-year-old Newark rapper-producer who arrived at the current screaming catharsis via a circuit of molting SoundCloud-era microgenres was at once dangerously commanding and euphoric while tearing through highlights from last year’s Revengeseekerz.—
Craig Jenkins,
Vulture,
21 Apr. 2026
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The pressures of fame and the pains of Michael’s brand of friendlessness are barely explored, beyond the requisite scenes of screaming fans crowding outside the family estate and a terrified Michael attempting to get away from them (while still politely waving).—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
21 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Their meteoric rise in just the last year is deeply troubling, and state Attorney General Nick Brown is right to have filed a recent lawsuit to stop Kalshi, one of the largest markets, from operating in Washington state.—
Editorial,
Boston Herald,
25 Apr. 2026
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The row has raised yet more troubling questions about decision-making in the EU, which can often be held hostage to national interests when unanimous votes are required.—
Karel Janicek,
Chicago Tribune,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Sit there like nothing is bothering you.—
Chris Spargo,
PEOPLE,
17 Apr. 2026
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But that doesn’t excuse failing to execute on the ABCs of lobbying — such as not bothering even to show up at a hearing on a policy the mayor considers an urgent priority.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Nagging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nagging. Accessed 25 Apr. 2026.
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