as in annoying
causing annoyance
your constant sniffling is extremely nettling
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in irritating
to disturb the peace of mind of (someone) especially by repeated disagreeable acts
don't nettle your brother while he's trying to do his homework
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nettling
Adjective
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Noise limits In the 2010s, a common concern about wind turbines was that the swishing noise was annoying or even dangerous to residents’ health.—
Elizabeth Weise,
USA Today,
21 Feb. 2026 -
Adhesive Residue No one likes to battle the annoying sticky residue left behind from price tags or brand labels, but those are no match for your steam cleaner.—
Rae Ford,
Martha Stewart,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The gentle formula removes dirt and product buildup with a mild lather without irritating the scalp.—
Jamie Wilson,
Glamour,
20 Feb. 2026
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A lot of anti-aging skincare contains ingredients like retinol that can be drying and irritating, but Cetaphil has a possible solution.—
Lauren Taylor,
Southern Living,
30 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Ignoring Temperature and Environment Every oven behaves differently, which can make baking frustrating at first.—
Olivia McIntosh,
Martha Stewart,
22 Feb. 2026
-
More and more hard-to-trace checks are laundered among political committees, with their murky-sounding names and Tallahassee addresses, frustrating attempts by voters or the media to figure out exactly who’s giving to whom.—
Steve Bousquet,
Sun Sentinel,
21 Feb. 2026
Verb
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One Florida resident reportedly hired a local mover without bothering to determine if the company was licensed, only to run into a boatload of trouble.—
Lew Sichelman,
Miami Herald,
5 Feb. 2026
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If your knee is bothering you, for instance, the vibration might distract your brain enough for the pain to temporarily retreat.—
Jennifer Heimlich,
Time,
23 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Nell Tiger Free stars as a young novice who works at a Catholic orphanage plagued by mysterious, disturbing circumstances.—
Kevin Jacobsen,
Entertainment Weekly,
21 Feb. 2026
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In an initial statement Wednesday, Blalock said the video is disturbing and the parents and families of these students should be embarrassed.—
Allie Hennard,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
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That thing’s been bugging on him for a while.—
Pete Sweeney,
Kansas City Star,
29 Dec. 2025
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Then Julian dropped one of his wireless earbuds into Olympia’s purse, using it as a crude bugging device.—
Noel Murray,
Vulture,
12 Dec. 2025
Adjective
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Criminal charges dropped As part of McFadden’s plea deal with prosecutors, a felony charge of embezzlement by a clerk or agent against her was dismissed, along with an enhancement that alleged aggravating circumstances.—
Rosalio Ahumada,
Sacbee.com,
19 Feb. 2026
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In my experience, the future turns out to be not be so much frightening as aggravating.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
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But so often left unsaid by Gu are the moral ambiguities that come with choosing to represent a country that has been heavily criticized by Human Rights Watch, among other watchdog groups, for denying rights of freedom of expression and for persecuting government critics.—
Zak Keefer,
New York Times,
17 Feb. 2026
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Troops are occupying our cities and persecuting our people.—
Maria Guinnip,
Oklahoman,
21 Jan. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Nettling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nettling. Accessed 24 Feb. 2026.
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