1,400 new words in our dictionary! — Parasocial, glow-up, promposal & more
1,400 new words in our dictionary! — More

niggles 1 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of niggle
as in complains
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

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

niggles

2 of 2

noun

plural of niggle, chiefly British
1
as in quibbles

Related Words

Dissimilar Words
2
as in anxieties

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for niggles
  1. complains
  2. objections
  3. qualms
  4. moans
  5. challenges
  6. concerns
  7. nitpicks
  8. protests
Verb
  • China is demanding the US ease export bans on high-tech goods, like chipmaking gear; the US bitterly complains about Chinese overproduction and transhipment.
    — Andy Browne, semafor.com, 21 Sep. 2026
  • There’ll always be someone who doesn’t like it, who complains about it.
    — Destiny Jackson, Deadline, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of complains
Noun
  • The Block the Merger coalition and other opponents of the deal have filed amicus briefs reiterating their objections.
    — Dade Hayes, Deadline, 25 Sep. 2026
  • In a statement on Wednesday, the Election Commission underplayed the objections.
    — Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of objections
Noun
  • One of the only qualms was the price tag, but a $1,200 markdown pretty much renders that moot.
    — Kelsey Fogarty, PC Magazine, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Asian families are used to dealing with ministries through their businesses, and thus see few qualms in doing so again through their charities.
    — Nicholas Gordon, Fortune, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of qualms
Verb
  • Sam makes a production out of teasing them, mock-reaching for various items on the set as the whole group moans and wails in distress.
    — Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Endo is the sixth choice midfielder and someone who never moans about his place in the pecking order.
    — James Pearce, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of moans
Noun
  • The challenges that the rest of the contestants will face as the season continues include a supply load retrieval while suspended 300 feet above the jungle floor, chemical gassing and a claustrophobic, high-pressure search of an underground bunker.
    — Julia Moore, PEOPLE, 25 Sep. 2026
  • Traditional wireless systems present challenges for very small implants because their antennas and power requirements can increase device size.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of challenges
Noun
  • OpenAI’s forthcoming device, rumored to be a portable smart speaker, could encounter similar eavesdropping concerns.
    — Sebastian Herrera, Fortune, 24 Sep. 2026
  • The new political leadership will also face pressure to address everyday concerns, including jobs, wages and the cost of living.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of concerns
Verb
  • So your first indication of problems can be a client who nitpicks every job, forcing you to return to re-trim the 2-inch patch of sod that the client claims wasn’t properly manicured.
    — Kathy Kristof, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Jan. 2026
  • But Brian constantly nitpicks her purchases.
    — Kamaron McNair, CNBC, 7 Aug. 2025
Definition of nitpicks
Noun
  • The division’s attorneys have investigated universities that allegedly failed to protect Jewish students on campuses where protests erupted over the Gaza war.
    — Eyal Press, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2026
  • The protests erupted at schools in the Paris area last week, leading to arrests, and spread to other regions.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of protests
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.

Browse Nearby Words

nigglers
niggles
niggles (out)
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Niggles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/niggles. Accessed 30 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of epistemic

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
image of the words cracker fly and sale arranged in a triangle with the word fire in the middle
Triple Play Quiz Find the word that pairs with each of the three g...
See All