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Definition of nagging

nagging

/ˈnæɡ.ɪŋ/
nag · ging
Adverb:naggingly
•
Plural:naggings
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nagging Lexical Profile

nagging Game Scores & Validity

• adjective

1

Persistently painful, worrying, or distressing over a long period of time.

Example

"She had a nagging suspicion that she had forgotten to lock the front door before leaving."

2

Constantly harassing, criticizing, or urging someone to do something in an annoying manner.

Example

"His nagging remarks about the project deadline only increased the team's stress."

Synonyms
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Antonyms
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• noun

1

The action or behavior of persistently fault-finding, complaining, or urging someone to do something.

Example

"After weeks of constant nagging, he finally agreed to clean out the garage."

Synonyms
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Antonyms
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• Rhymes for nagging

• Nearby Words

nads
nag
nagger
nagging
naggingly
naggy
nagoya

Word Origin & Etymology

Derived from the verb 'nag', which is likely of Scandinavian origin (related to Old Norse 'gnaga', meaning 'to gnaw' or 'bite'), combined with the English suffix '-ing'.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Nagging. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/nagging
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