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Niggling: meaning, definitions and examples

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niggling

 

[ ˈnɪɡ(ə)lɪŋ ]

Adjective / Verb
Context #1 | Adjective

in a minor or annoying way

Causing slight but persistent annoyance, discomfort, or anxiety.

Synonyms

bothersome, irritating, troublesome

Examples of usage

  • He had a niggling doubt in the back of his mind.
  • The niggling pain in her shoulder wouldn't go away.
Context #2 | Verb

to worry or annoy

To worry or annoy (someone) by persistent fault-finding or complaining.

Synonyms

bother, irritate, provoke

Examples of usage

  • Stop niggling me about the small details!
  • She niggled at him until he finally gave in.

Translations

Translations of the word "niggling" in other languages:

🇵🇹 irritante

🇮🇳 चिड़चिड़ा

🇩🇪 ärgerlich

🇮🇩 mengganggu

🇺🇦 докучливий

🇵🇱 dokuczliwy

🇯🇵 煩わしい

🇫🇷 agaçant

🇪🇸 molesto

🇹🇷 can sıkıcı

🇰🇷 성가신

🇸🇦 مزعج

🇨🇿 otravný

🇸🇰 otravný

🇨🇳 烦人的

🇸🇮 nadležen

🇮🇸 pirrandi

🇰🇿 мазасыз

🇬🇪 მოწამლული

🇦🇿 narahat

🇲🇽 molesto

Etymology

The word 'niggling' originated from the verb 'niggle' which dates back to the 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the Middle English word 'nygelen', meaning to torment or gnaw. Over time, 'niggling' has evolved to describe something that causes minor annoyance or discomfort.

Word Frequency Rank

This word's position of #33,458 indicates it's among the more rare English words. While understanding it broadens your vocabulary, focus on more common words first.