niggle

1 of 2

verb

nig·​gle ˈni-gəl How to pronounce niggle (audio)
niggled; niggling ˈni-g(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce niggle (audio)

intransitive verb

1
a
: trifle
b
: to spend too much effort on minor details
2
: to find fault constantly in a petty way : carp
she haggles, she niggles, she wears out our patienceVirginia Woolf
3
: gnaw

transitive verb

: to give stingily or in tiny portions
niggler noun

niggle

2 of 2

noun

chiefly British
: a trifling doubt, objection, or complaint

Examples of niggle in a Sentence

Verb She had been niggled by worry her entire life. He's always niggling over small details. Noun I've had a knee niggle for the past few days. He has a bit of a niggle in his back. I have a few minor niggles about the performance.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Don’t jeopardize your health or well-being to fit a criterion someone else is niggling you to adopt. Eugenia Last, The Mercury News, 28 July 2024 But studies also suggest insurers are wont to drag their feet, niggling over coding and charges — and, in doing so, delaying reimbursement and holding on to the cash. Elisabeth Rosenthal, CBS News, 17 July 2024
Noun
There are a few remaining niggles such as the unpredictable automatic windscreen wipers and variable experiences with Autopilot. James Morris, Forbes, 19 Oct. 2024 But that’s the only real niggle, because as a sports car the Cyberster ticks the boxes well. James Morris, Fortune Europe, 6 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for niggle 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'niggle.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

origin unknown

First Known Use

Verb

1599, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Noun

1865, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of niggle was in 1599

Dictionary Entries Near niggle

Cite this Entry

“Niggle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/niggle. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

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