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
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 Car buyers who want to limit in-person negotiating, or at least that niggling feeling that a dealership is pulling one over on them, might be soothed by an internet full of information. — Aarian Marshall, Wired News, 18 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
  • Parents keep complaining to me that their kids are sedentary at school, even though humans need to keep moving throughout the day to be healthy.
    — Kara Alaimo, CNN Money, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Aside from social media posts complaining about the war’s fallout and some grumbling from oligarchs about the Kremlin seizing their assets, there are still no signs of any widespread popular unrest against Vladimir Putin’s regime.
    — Jason Ma, Fortune, 3 Aug. 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
  • British publications have fewer qualms, generally, about mocking the dead.
    — Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 4 Aug. 2026
  • The Oklahoma City Thunder have no qualms with the second apron.
    — Fred Katz, New York Times, 24 July 2026
Definition of qualm
Verb
  • Similar to Egypt after its collapse earlier in the week, Switzerland exited fussing about the officiating.
    — Jerry Brewer, New York Times, 12 July 2026
  • Yes, teaching by example is often a better way of handling a challenge than fussing about it.
    — Harriette Cole, Mercury News, 17 June 2026
Definition of fuss
Noun
  • Trump made the threat a day after the Senate Judiciary Committee postponed a vote to advance Blanche’s nomination over objections from Sens.
    — Daniela Suarez, NBC news, 31 July 2026
  • This was a World Cup where fans, and at times players and teams, participated in spite of their objections to how things were being run, not because of them.
    — Ian Nicholas Quillen, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
Definition of objection
Noun
  • More than 500 people from as far away as Pleasanton and Glenbrook, Nevada, reported feeling the tremor to the agency.
    — Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 29 July 2026
  • Residents in the areas that felt the biggest tremors ​must beware of further strong quakes for about a week as well as the risk of landslides, an official for the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) said.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 28 July 2026
Definition of tremor
Verb
  • 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
  • Tucker even nitpicked the nine-pitch at-bat that ended in the pull-side homer.
    — Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 28 June 2026
Definition of nitpick
Noun
  • The core challenge is agents' ability to exploit existing weaknesses at scale, necessitating improved governance and careful permission management.
    — Sandy Carter, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
  • Iran is also facing economic challenges from the closure of the strait, according to Leighton.
    — Sophie Tanno, CNN Money, 2 Aug. 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 6 Aug. 2026.

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