Meaning & use
Niggles
Last updated
Causes persistent, minor annoyance or worry; finds fault with small, unimportant details.
See it in a sentence
A small doubt niggles at her every time she signs a new contract.
He niggles over tiny formatting details instead of focusing on the report's content.
A note on using this word
Unrelated in origin to any ethnic slur, "niggle" comes from older Scandinavian roots meaning to work in a fussy, trifling manner.
Words with a similar meaning
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Another way to use it
2. noun
A minor criticism, worry, or complaint.
My only niggle with the apartment is the noisy radiator.
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