1
: persistently annoying or finding fault with someone
a nagging husband/wife
2
a
: causing continual or recurring worry or anxiety
a nagging fear
This time, the worry is that the housing slowdown will curtail growth before the Federal Reserve gets nagging inflation concerns resolved.—
Scott Patterson
Scott Patterson
b
: causing continual or recurring pain or discomfort
He'd had a nagging headache all day.
a nagging injury
naggingly
adverb
There has always been something naggingly sad about Bonds' career …
—Tim Keown
Tim Keown
… something about the book feels naggingly familiar, as if you know how it will end before you start …
—Debra Pickett
Debra Pickett
Examples of nagging in a Sentence
I have this nagging feeling that something will still go wrong
Recent Examples on the Web
That nagging pit in her stomach, that anxiety — not just hers but the larger LGBTQ+ community in general — were always front and center in her mind.
—Michael James Rocha, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 July 2025
Breslow acknowledged pitchers are always dealing with some small nagging injury in a 162-game schedule.
—Jen McCaffrey, New York Times, 8 July 2025
Midwestern parents are very familiar with the ritual, which includes the nagging worry of leaving their kid in someone else’s hands.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 7 July 2025
With the Yankees now hoping to dodge a bullet — Schmidt hit the IL with a 3.32 ERA over 78.2 innings after some nagging spring training injuries delayed his season debut — the team will at least have to fill his rotation slot in the short term.
—Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 4 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for nagging
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Michael James Rocha, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 July 2025
Breslow acknowledged pitchers are always dealing with some small nagging injury in a 162-game schedule.
—Jen McCaffrey, New York Times, 8 July 2025
Midwestern parents are very familiar with the ritual, which includes the nagging worry of leaving their kid in someone else’s hands.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 7 July 2025
With the Yankees now hoping to dodge a bullet — Schmidt hit the IL with a 3.32 ERA over 78.2 innings after some nagging spring training injuries delayed his season debut — the team will at least have to fill his rotation slot in the short term.
—Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 4 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for nagging
Cite this Entry
“Nagging.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nagging. Accessed 22 Jul. 2025.
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