What does "niggle" mean?
A minor complaint or problem.
Niggle
/ˈnɪɡəl/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A minor complaint or problem.
- Grammar: niggle is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: adverse criticism, animadversion, aspersion, bad notices.
- Useful contrasts: accept, agree, calm.
- Usage evidence: Mary would always niggle Tom over his lack of punctuation in text messages.
How to use "niggle"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "niggle" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "niggle" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "niggle" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "niggle" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "niggle" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "adverse criticism" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "niggle", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A minor complaint or problem.
"The Olympic medal contender's back problem has been described as a "niggle" by the head coach, Charles van Commenee, but Porter's friend and former team-mate Danielle Carruthers revealed that the injury is playing on the Briton's mind."
- 2 Small, cramped handwriting. obsolete
Verb
- 1 To trifle with; to deceive; to mock. obsolete, transitive
"I shall so feed your fierce vexation , And raise your worship ' s storms ; I shall so niggle you , And juggle you , and fiddle you , and firk you"
- 2 argue over petty things wordnet
- 3 To use, spend, or do in a petty or trifling manner. transitive
- 4 worry unnecessarily or excessively wordnet
- 5 To dwell too much on minor points or on trifling details. intransitive
Show 2 more definitions
- 6 To fidget, fiddle, be restless. UK, intransitive
- 7 To walk with short steps. UK, archaic, dialectal, intransitive
"I can see him now with his one eye closed as he came niggling along, and didn't he just give me a grandfather's blessing!"
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"Mary would always niggle Tom over his lack of punctuation in text messages."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "niggle"?
Common synonyms include: adverse criticism, animadversion, aspersion, bad notices, bad press, bicker.
How do you use "niggle" in a sentence?
Mary would always niggle Tom over his lack of punctuation in text messages.
How do you pronounce "niggle"?
Pronounced /ˈnɪɡəl/.
Etymology
First attested in 1599. Origin uncertain, but likely borrowed from dialectal Norwegian nigla (“to be stingy, to busy oneself with trifles”), ultimately from Old Norse hnøggr (“stingy; miserly”), related to Old English hnēaw (“stingy; niggardly”). More at niggard.