niggleverb [ I or T ]
uk/ˈnɪɡ.əl/us/ˈnɪɡ.əl/niggle verb [ I or T ] (WORRY)
to worry someone slightly, usually for a long time:
I just can't remember his name - it's been niggling me for a couple of weeks.
One thought kept niggling at her.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Causing feelings of anger and displeasure
- aggravate
- aggrieve
- alienate
- anger
- annoy
- burn
- give sb the shits idiom
- go too far idiom
- goat
- grate
- hack
- hack sb off
- nose
- ruffle
- ruffle sb's feathers idiom
- set sb's teeth on edge idiom
- step/tread on sb's toes idiom
- stick in sb's craw idiom
- tee
- toe
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niggle verb [ I or T ] (CRITICIZE)
UK to criticize someone about small details or give too much attention to details:
She niggles endlessly over the exact pronunciation.
The accounts department is niggling me for ten pence they say I owe them.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Disapproving & criticizing
- -basher
- animadversion
- aspersions
- backbite
- bad-mouth
- belabour
- damn
- damn sb with faint praise idiom
- denounce
- dig
- disapproval
- give sb hell idiom
- nagging
- pitch into sb/sth
- pound
- pound away at sth/sb
- pull sth apart
- put the boot in idiom
- take a dim view of sth idiom
- throw
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nigglenoun [ C ]
uk/ˈnɪɡ.əl/us/ˈnɪɡ.əl/niggle noun [ C ] (WORRY)
a small doubt or worry:
Don't you feel even a slight niggle about the morality of your experiments?
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Suspecting & questioning
- call
- call into question idiom
- cynic
- cynical
- dispute
- doubter
- doubting Thomas
- I'd like to see... idiom
- if
- misgiving
- query
- question
- reservation
- sceptical
- skeptic
- skeptical
- smell
- smell a rat idiom
- suspect
- suspiciously
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You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
Anxiety and worry - general words
niggle noun [ C ] (CRITICISM)
UK a small criticism:
I do have a few minor niggles about the book, but generally it's very good.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Disapproving & criticizing
- -basher
- animadversion
- aspersions
- backbite
- bad-mouth
- belabour
- damn
- damn sb with faint praise idiom
- denounce
- dig
- disapproval
- give sb hell idiom
- nagging
- pitch into sb/sth
- pound
- pound away at sth/sb
- pull sth apart
- put the boot in idiom
- take a dim view of sth idiom
- throw
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niggling
adjective [ before noun ] uk/ˈnɪɡ.əl.ɪŋ/us/ˈnɪɡ.əl.ɪŋ/
a niggling doubt/fear
a niggling comment/criticism