niggle

1 of 2

verb

nig·​gle ˈni-gəl 

niggled; niggling ˈni-g(ə-)liŋ 

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 patience

—Virginia Woolf

3

: gnaw

transitive verb

: to give stingily or in tiny portions

niggler

ˈni-g(ə-)lər 

noun

niggle

2 of 2

noun

chiefly British

: a trifling doubt, objection, or complaint

Synonyms

Verb

• carp
• cavil
• fuss
• nitpick
• quibble

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

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