niggle 1 of 2

verb

ˈni-gəl How to pronounce niggle (audio)
Definition of nigglenext
as in to complain
to make often peevish criticisms or objections about matters that are minor, unimportant, or irrelevant you know it drives me crazy when you niggle like that

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

niggle

2 of 2

noun

chiefly British
1
as in quibble

Related Words

Dissimilar Words
2
as in qualm

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

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 niggle
Verb
Henry dismisses Yasmin but can’t shake the niggling feeling that his wife isn’t entirely wrong. — Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 16 Feb. 2026 Eda knew from experience that with too much time to think came the niggling whispers of common sense. — Carly Tagen-Dye, PEOPLE, 22 Jan. 2026
Noun
Williamson played her first 90 minutes in the Women’s Super League in January but has struggled to play consecutive full 90-minute games for her club this season due to minor niggles. — James McNicholas, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2026 For example, experiencing a consistent niggle in your hip while running may actually be due to pelvic floor dysfunction. — Jordan Smith, Outside, 11 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for niggle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for niggle
  1. complain
  2. quibble
  3. qualm
  4. fuss
  5. objection
  6. tremor
  7. nitpick
  8. challenge
Verb
  • Meanwhile top women’s seed Aryna Sabalenka complained when the smell of marijuana wafted from crowd to court.
    — Greg Cote September 6, Miami Herald, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Influencers, along with other fans, have interrupted matches and top player Aryna Sabalenka complained about the smell of marijuana during a match.
    — Douglas Robson, Los Angeles Times, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of complain
Noun
  • Still, this is a small quibble next to the accomplishment of this book.
    — John Warner, Chicago Tribune, 13 June 2026
  • The band, expanded to include touring keyboardist Loren Gold, seemed exhilarated, if a little stiff at times, a first-night quibble that will surely self-correct.
    — Joshua Rothkopf, Los Angeles Times, 8 June 2026
Definition of quibble
Noun
  • If Declan Rice is not yet ready to start, Arteta will have no qualms about using Lewis-Skelly in his place.
    — Art de Roché, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2026
  • No such qualms for IEA, whose membership is dominated by suburban teachers whereas a third of IFT’s membership are Chicago teachers.
    — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of qualm
Verb
  • If the offensive line’s healthy again, RB Saquon Barkley will ramble again, broadening QB Jalen Hurts’ margin for error and being fussed at by the coaching staff.
    — David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 27 Aug. 2026
  • The eagles fuss obsessively with their habitat, waddling around on their huge, scaly reptilian feet, moving sticks to and fro with their bony beaks.
    — Alex Ross, New Yorker, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of fuss
Noun
  • Bessent's remarks came as Siluanov's first in-person appearance at the summit since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022 drew objections from other European leaders.
    — Anniek Bao, CNBC, 1 Sep. 2026
  • The employee handles the objection, pricing question, scheduling conflict or judgment call.
    — Michael Fox, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of objection
Noun
  • The instruments can move with greater flexibility than the human hand, while the system filters out natural hand tremors that could affect delicate movements.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 30 Aug. 2026
  • But in some cases, West Nile can reach the brain and cause extreme headaches, meningitis, tremors, convulsions and paralysis.
    — Mary Randolph, Scientific American, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of tremor
Verb
  • This can lead to nitpicking as opposed to harnessing important details that can lead to practical solutions.
    — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Becoming more open-minded instead of nitpicking other people’s posts all the time can be beneficial for you, too.
    — Kristen Rogers, CNN Money, 16 July 2026
Definition of nitpick
Noun
  • Rising costs, complex permitting processes, and infrastructure challenges have made the city less competitive even for productions that want to stay local.
    — Sam Roseme, HollywoodReporter, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Winning the primary, surviving the general Nationalization presents perhaps its biggest challenge during the transition from a primary to a general election.
    — Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of challenge

Browse Nearby Words

nifty
niggle
niggled
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Cite this Entry

“Niggle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/niggle. Accessed 9 Sep. 2026.

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