Pronunciation: /ˈnɪɡəl/

Definitions of niggle

noun a slight feeling of annoyance or discomfort

Example Sentences

A1 My only niggle with the hotel was the slow wifi.

A2 Her constant niggle about the temperature in the office was starting to annoy her coworkers.

B1 One niggle I have with this new software is that it doesn't save automatically.

B2 Despite a few niggles, overall the new car has been a great purchase.

C1 The film received critical acclaim, but some critics had niggles about the pacing.

C2 The chef was known for his perfectionism, always finding niggles in his dishes that no one else noticed.

verb to criticize or complain about something in a petty way

Example Sentences

A1 I always niggled my sister about cleaning her room.

A2 The small pain in my back started to niggle at me during the long car ride.

B1 The issue of low employee morale continued to niggle at the manager.

B2 The uncertainty of the future niggled at her mind, causing anxiety.

C1 The unresolved conflict between the two countries continued to niggle at diplomatic relations.

C2 Despite his success, the feeling of inadequacy niggled at him constantly.

Examples of niggle in a Sentence

formal The constant niggle in my lower back has been bothering me for weeks.

informal I have this annoying niggle in my phone that keeps freezing the screen.

slang I can't stand that little niggle in my shoe, it's driving me crazy!

figurative There's always a niggle of doubt in the back of my mind whenever I make a big decision.

Grammatical Forms of niggle

past tense

niggled

plural

niggles

comparative

more niggly

superlative

most niggly

present tense

niggle

future tense

will niggle

perfect tense

have niggled

continuous tense

is niggling

singular

niggle

positive degree

niggly

infinitive

to niggle

gerund

niggling

participle

niggling

Origin and Evolution of niggle

First Known Use: 1530 year
Language of Origin: Middle English
Story behind the word: The word 'niggle' originated from Middle English 'nygelen' which meant to be fussy or to find fault with trivial matters.
Evolution of the word: Over time, the word 'niggle' has evolved to also mean to spend too much time on minor details or to be overly critical about insignificant things.