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
1
as in quibbles
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
2
as in anxieties
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for niggles
Verb
-
But today nobody complains about the cost of his castles.—
Tribune News Service,
Baltimore Sun,
8 June 2026 -
Never says a word, never complains about it, right?—
Anderson Cooper,
CBS News,
17 May 2026
Noun
-
Huang made his case as AI has emerged as a political flashpoint, with objections to plans to build more data centers and fears that the speed with which it’s being adopted could spur the layoffs of workers who might not have a safety net.—
Josh Boak,
Fortune,
17 June 2026
-
Add to that Wednesday’s reversal, when Republican legislative leaders rejected Kemp’s push to overhaul Georgia’s political boundaries during a special session despite the governor’s objections.—
Greg Bluestein,
AJC.com,
17 June 2026
Noun
-
Smith's qualms stemmed from the massive requirements for the presidential visit, which shut down surrounding streets near Madison Square Garden and forced police to clear out outdoor watch parties.—
Alejandro Avila OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
12 June 2026
-
Still, other board members had qualms going into the meeting on specific contract renewals.—
Kate Perez,
Chicago Tribune,
10 June 2026
Verb
-
Musselwhite punctuated the music with his harmonica trills and moans while his right knee bounced in time with the rhythms.—
Kevin McKeough,
Chicago Tribune,
7 June 2026
-
As the video continues, one person can be heard yelling her name while the makeup artist moans in pain.—
Abigail Adams,
PEOPLE,
21 May 2026
Noun
-
Yet robust economic growth has proved elusive, even as government debt has climbed, leaving successive administrations with little firepower to fix a growing list of related challenges, from crumbling infrastructure to a chronic housing shortage.—
Hanna Ziady,
CNN Money,
23 June 2026
-
Some of the restrictions were partially or fully reversed after public backlash and court challenges.—
Ignacio Calderon,
USA Today,
23 June 2026
Noun
-
Harry has fought the decision in court to reinstate security, citing safety concerns for his wife and children, the outlet shared.—
Stephanie Nolasco,
FOXNews.com,
24 June 2026
-
The global index provider extended Indonesia’s status as an emerging market after freezing the country’s stocks in its indexes in January, citing investability concerns.—
Justina Lee,
CNBC,
24 June 2026
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
Noun
-
Bolivia’s President Rodrigo Paz declared a state of emergency Saturday, after weeks of anti-government protests over rising living costs and economic pressure that have since grown into an escalating political crisis.—
Helen Regan,
CNN Money,
20 June 2026
-
The show’s removal also sparked viewer outrage over free speech and expression, as well as protests outside Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, California, and ABC headquarters in New York.—
Marlene Lenthang,
NBC news,
20 June 2026
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.
Cite this Entry
“Niggles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/niggles. Accessed 24 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
