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
-
Highs come across with sharpness that doesn't stray toward annoying, and the mids are surprisingly full.—
Eric Zeman,
PC Magazine,
9 Mar. 2026 -
There’s still housing, meals, books and annoying fees.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Wear gloves to avoid irritating your skin.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
28 Feb. 2026
-
The Seminole-Palm Harbor contest got a bit dicey in the second half, with questionable calls irritating players, coaches and fans, most notably on the Seminole side.—
Chris Hays,
The Orlando Sentinel,
24 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Flagg finished with 17 points, seven rebounds and six assists, but the Raptors’ eighth-best defense in the NBA sent multiple bodies at him throughout the game and presented an uncomfortable and frustrating playing experience for his first NBA game in Toronto.—
Mike Curtis,
Dallas Morning News,
8 Mar. 2026
-
Caroline’s anguish and her ineffectuality at making progress in finding Gabriel make for some frustrating moments as a reader.—
John Warner,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Mass incarceration has led to a fast-growing bloc of citizens who either are legally barred from voting or have just stopped bothering.—
Kevin B. Smith,
The Conversation,
2 Mar. 2026
-
Stop bothering me with things that don’t make sense.—
Nick Canepa,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
28 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
What followed was even more disturbing.—
Rocco Parascandola,
New York Daily News,
8 Mar. 2026
-
That would be a particularly disturbing piece of real hate mail Kubrin received late last year after she was quoted in a news story about immigration and crime.—
Andre Mouchard,
Oc Register,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
And also, Bill has to be home and also not bugging me.—
Joey Nolfi,
Entertainment Weekly,
3 Mar. 2026
-
Clara could hear Dune’s sister, Fern, in the background bugging Dune to resume their chess game.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
2 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Jeff Rosen said O’Connor would face at least 30 years of imprisonment pending aggravating factors still to be considered by a judge on March 11.—
Andrew J. Campa,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Mar. 2026
-
The Florida Supreme Court later found the trial court failed to give jurors certain information about aggravating circumstances and ordered a new sentencing.—
Freida Frisaro,
Sun Sentinel,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
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
-
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 11 Mar. 2026.
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