Nagging — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective verb /ˈna-giŋ/ nag·ging

Meaning & Definition of Nagging

Nagging (adjective)

  1. persistently annoying or finding fault with someone
  2. causing continual or recurring worry or anxiety
  3. causing continual or recurring pain or discomfort

Nagging (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. causing worry or anxiety

    "I have this nagging feeling that something will still go wrong"

    similar: discomforting, discomposing, disquieting, distressing, disturbing, nasty, perturbing, troublesome, troubling, troublous, unsettling, upsetting, worrisome
    related: daunting, demoralizing, discomfiting, disconcerting, discouraging, disheartening, dismaying, dispiriting, chilling, frightening, scary, harassing, persecutive, persecutory, alarming, dire, direful, dread, dreadful, fearful, fearsome, forbidding, formidable, frightful, ghastly, hair-raising, horrendous, horrible, horrifying, intimidating, shocking, terrible, terrifying
    opposite: reassuring
    near: calming, quieting, settling, soothing, comforting, consoling, dreamy, inviting, lulling, narcotic, pacifying, relaxing, sedative, tranquilizing

Nagging (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to subject (someone) to constant scoldings and sharp reminders

    "she kept nagging him to fix the furnace before the weather got any colder"

    similar: dogging, henpecking, hounding, needling, pecking (at), picking at
    related: carping (at), fussing (about or over), nitpicking, annoying, badgering, baiting, bothering, bugging, chivying, harassing, harrying, hassling, irking, pestering, plaguing, riding, vexing, yapping (at), egging, goading, inciting, prodding, prompting, spurring, urging, exhorting, insisting, pressing, pressuring, pushing, blandishing, cajoling, coaxing, wheedling, begging, importuning, pleading
    near: complimenting, commending, lauding, praising, recommending, touting, acclaiming, applauding, building up, eulogizing, extolling

  2. to express dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment usually tiresomely

    "if all you can do is nag, then you are of no use to this organization at all"

    similar: beefing, bellyaching, bitching, bleating, carping, caterwauling, complaining, crabbing, croaking, fussing, griping, grizzling, grouching, grousing, growling, grumbling, grumping, hollering, inveighing, keening, kicking, kvetching, maundering (chiefly British), moaning, murmuring, muttering, repining, screaming, squawking, squealing, wailing, whimpering, whinging (British), whining, yammering, yawping, yowling, kicking up a fuss
    related: objecting (to), protesting, quarreling (with), caviling, quibbling, fretting, stewing, worrying, blubbering, crying, sobbing, bemoaning, bewailing, deploring, lamenting
    opposite: crowing, delighting, rejoicing
    near: accepting, bearing, countenancing, enduring, taking, tolerating, applauding, cheering, commending

Related Entry: Nag (verb)

Nag is a different word from Nagging. The synonyms below are for nag, not for nagging.

  1. to subject (someone) to constant scoldings and sharp reminders

    "she kept nagging him to fix the furnace before the weather got any colder"

    similar: dog, henpeck, hound, needle, peck (at), pick at
    related: carp (at), fuss (about or over), nitpick, annoy, badger, bait, bother, bug, chivy, harass, harry, hassle, irk, pester, plague, ride, vex, yap (at), egg, goad, incite, prod, prompt, spur, urge, exhort, insist, press, pressure, push, blandish, cajole, coax, wheedle, beg, importune, plead
    near: compliment, commend, laud, praise, recommend, tout, acclaim, applaud, build up, eulogize, extol

  2. to express dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment usually tiresomely

    "if all you can do is nag, then you are of no use to this organization at all"

    similar: beef, bellyache, bitch, bleat, carp, caterwaul, complain, crab, croak, fuss, gripe, grizzle, grouch, grouse, growl, grumble, grump, holler, inveigh, keen, kick, kvetch, maunder (chiefly British), moan, murmur, mutter, repine, scream, squawk, squeal, wail, whimper, whine, whinge (British), yammer, yawp, yowl, kick up a fuss
    related: object (to), protest, quarrel (with), cavil, quibble, fret, stew, worry, blubber, cry, sob, bemoan, bewail, deplore, lament
    opposite: crow, delight, rejoice
    near: accept, bear, countenance, endure, take, tolerate, applaud, cheer, commend

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Nagging

The most common words with a similar meaning to Nagging:

Chiefly British: maundering
British: whinging
discomforting, discomposing, disquieting, distressing, disturbing, nasty, perturbing, troublesome, troubling, troublous, unsettling, upsetting, worrisome, dogging, henpecking, hounding, needling, pecking (at), beefing, bellyaching, bitching, bleating, carping, caterwauling, complaining, crabbing, croaking, fussing, griping, grizzling, grouching, grousing, growling, grumbling, grumping, hollering, inveighing, keening, kicking, kvetching

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Nagging

Words with the opposite meaning of Nagging:

reassuring, crowing, delighting, rejoicing

Related Words for Nagging

daunting, demoralizing, discomfiting, disconcerting, discouraging, disheartening, dismaying, dispiriting, chilling, frightening, scary, harassing, persecutive, persecutory, alarming, dire, direful, dread, dreadful, fearful, fearsome, forbidding, formidable, frightful, ghastly, hair-raising, horrendous, horrible, horrifying, intimidating

Near Antonyms of Nagging

calming, quieting, settling, soothing, comforting, consoling, dreamy, inviting, lulling, narcotic, pacifying, relaxing, sedative, tranquilizing, complimenting, commending, lauding, praising, recommending, touting, acclaiming, applauding, building up, eulogizing, extolling, accepting, bearing, countenancing, enduring, taking

Word Forms of Nagging

Derived words: naggingly (adverb)

Origin & Etymology of Nagging

First known use: 1829

Frequently Asked Questions about Nagging

What does "Nagging" mean?

"Nagging" means persistently annoying or finding fault with someone. As an an adjective and a verb, it is defined as: persistently annoying or finding fault with someone. It has 3 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Nagging"?

Other words for "Nagging" include discomforting, discomposing, disquieting, distressing, disturbing, nasty, perturbing and troublesome. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Nagging" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Nagging"?

There are 141 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Nagging". Common alternatives include discomforting, discomposing, disquieting, distressing, disturbing, nasty, perturbing, troublesome, troubling and troublous.

What is the opposite of "Nagging"?

Antonyms of "Nagging" include reassuring, crowing, delighting and rejoicing. Near antonyms include calming, quieting, settling and soothing.

How do you use "Nagging" in a sentence?

Examples of "Nagging" in a sentence: "I have this nagging feeling that something will still go wrong"; "she kept nagging him to fix the furnace before the weather got any colder"; "if all you can do is nag, then you are of no use to this organization at all".

Is "Nagging" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Nagging" can be used as an adjective and a verb, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Nagging"?

"Nagging" is pronounced /ˈna-giŋ/ and divided into syllables as nag·ging.

What is the origin of the word "Nagging"?

First known use: 1829.