Meaning of “niggle” in the English Dictionary

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"niggle" in English

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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.

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Causing feelings of anger and displeasure

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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.

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Disapproving & criticizing

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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?

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Suspecting & questioning

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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.

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Disapproving & criticizing

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niggling

adjective [ before noun ] uk /ˈnɪɡ.əl.ɪŋ/ us /ˈnɪɡ.əl.ɪŋ/

›

a niggling doubt/fear

a niggling comment/criticism

(Definition of “niggle” from the Cambridge Advanced Learner’s Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)

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