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
Cremer came in for Wellington Masakadza, who was left out due to a niggle. — ABC News, 20 Sep. 2026 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 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
  • Someone else even complained about the self-clean feature ruining their appliance.
    — Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 Nov. 2026
  • By July, morale among immigration officers had dipped below its nadir during the Biden Administration, with agents now complaining of being overextended, inundated with novice recruits, and undermined by inflammatory rhetoric from on high.
    — Francisco Cantú, New Yorker, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of complain
Noun
  • Maybe that’s an absurd quibble, though, for a series that is proudly manufactured from the very beginning.
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 28 Oct. 2026
  • My only quibble is that the fan gets loud, even for lightweight games such as The Roottrees Are Dead.
    — Marshall Honorof, PC Magazine, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of quibble
Noun
  • Penalties and qualms with officiating aside, the Panthers came up big in two of the game’s three most consequential drives down the stretch.
    — Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 8 Nov. 2026
  • One of his only qualms was the price tag, which this 45% discount makes much easier to swallow.
    — Kelsey Fogarty, PC Magazine, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of qualm
Verb
  • Perhaps only a pedant—or a hypocrite—would fuss about that kind of imprecision.
    — Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 6 Sep. 2026
  • 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
Definition of fuss
Noun
  • De Niro is joined by Ariana DeBose, Helen Mirren, Emma Thompson, Julia Roberts, Scarlett Johansson, Vince Gilligan, Rosario Dawson, Dan Levy, Anne Hathaway and more in his objection to his work being high-tech feasting fodder.
    — Dominic Patten, Deadline, 3 Nov. 2026
  • Following an objection from the defense, Krol did not divulge any more about the content of what Ringquist had sent.
    — Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of objection
Noun
  • One of his sisters, María Yailén, 15, survived the tremors, but the other, Mariangel, 12, did not.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2026
  • That said, along with its use by astronauts, the technology is also aimed at people such as those with Parkinson’s disease, whose hand tremors currently make traditional eyedrop application nearly impossible.
    — Ben Coxworth October 23, New Atlas, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of tremor
Verb
  • After decades of debate — and months of nitpicking a draft map released earlier this year — every house, business and government building was assigned its final number in September.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2026
  • This can lead to nitpicking as opposed to harnessing important details that can lead to practical solutions.
    — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of nitpick
Noun
  • Democrats will start their leadership elections next week, though Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries isn’t expected to face any serious challenges to becoming speaker.
    — Ashley Gold, semafor.com, 9 Nov. 2026
  • Developing ultra-large autonomous underwater vehicles involves significant engineering challenges, including navigation, endurance, communications, payload integration, manufacturing, and operational reliability.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 9 Nov. 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 11 Nov. 2026.

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