1
as in urged
to subject (someone) to constant scoldings and sharp reminders
she kept nagging him to fix the furnace before the weather got any colder
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in complained
to express dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment usually tiresomely
if all you can do is nag, then you are of no use to this organization at all
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of nagged
On Saturday night, with Karl-Anthony Towns and OG nagged by foul trouble and the bench players struggling, Brunson refused to give in.
—
David Remnick,
New Yorker,
14 June 2026
But his promise to visit Bolduc’s widow nagged at him.
—
Kevin Maurer,
The Atlantic,
6 June 2026
That process, too, has nagged at her confidence and her resolve.
—
Matthew Futterman,
New York Times,
26 May 2026
The milquetoast nature of the statement — with its measured language and nonexistent call to action — and the broader absence of real accountability have nagged at me for weeks.
—
Uzma Rentia,
STAT,
27 Apr. 2026
Growing up, my parents constantly nagged me not to sit too close to the TV, convinced my eyes would essentially melt.
—
Juhi Wadia,
PC Magazine,
27 Apr. 2026
Cherono nagged the Marathon Chase and a $10,000 bonus.
—
Michelle Edgar,
Daily News,
8 Mar. 2026
Those kids went home and nagged their parents.
—
Christine Peterson,
Outdoor Life,
5 Mar. 2026
Meanwhile, Musk launched a competitive AI firm called xAI, but his feelings over the fallout with Altman nagged at him.
—
Tom Dotan,
Vanity Fair,
23 Feb. 2026
David Remnick,
New Yorker,
14 June 2026
But his promise to visit Bolduc’s widow nagged at him.
—
Kevin Maurer,
The Atlantic,
6 June 2026
That process, too, has nagged at her confidence and her resolve.
—
Matthew Futterman,
New York Times,
26 May 2026
The milquetoast nature of the statement — with its measured language and nonexistent call to action — and the broader absence of real accountability have nagged at me for weeks.
—
Uzma Rentia,
STAT,
27 Apr. 2026
Growing up, my parents constantly nagged me not to sit too close to the TV, convinced my eyes would essentially melt.
—
Juhi Wadia,
PC Magazine,
27 Apr. 2026
Cherono nagged the Marathon Chase and a $10,000 bonus.
—
Michelle Edgar,
Daily News,
8 Mar. 2026
Those kids went home and nagged their parents.
—
Christine Peterson,
Outdoor Life,
5 Mar. 2026
Meanwhile, Musk launched a competitive AI firm called xAI, but his feelings over the fallout with Altman nagged at him.
—
Tom Dotan,
Vanity Fair,
23 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nagged
Verb
-
The union’s chief negotiator urged Newsom and the state’s other leaders to include a raise for SEIU Local 1000 employees in light of the state’s relatively strong budget.
-
Democratic campaign committees also urged the Supreme Court to uphold the caps.
Verb
-
By early 1775, Quebec’s governor complained that this letter was stirring up the population by planting dangerous doubts about British imperial authority.
-
Smith has long complained that Carney’s predecessor, Justin Trudeau, hindered the province’s energy industry and fueled separatist sentiment.
Verb
-
Yet, the same people who begged for this opportunity for years suddenly want to police the moment.
-
Up to this point, Ruthye has begged Supergirl to help her exact revenge on Krem, which the heroine has refused, so the alignment of their goals ends up a convenient happenstance.
Verb
-
Police said that after the girl screamed, the video shows a man getting into his vehicle and driving away.
-
Thompson screamed at the MTA worker before grabbing her and slashing on the left side of her nose, just below her eye, according to prosecutors.
Verb
-
Whether or not Freddy deserved to be hounded off the internet didn’t really matter.
-
Goldberg, on the other hand, hounded Freedman with questions, asking about every material used in every step of the process.
Verb
-
Traffic hummed and whined on I-85.
-
Second, in a report of their own, the pro-business commissioners whined that all of this was unfair.
Verb
-
Maybe Bill Plaschke would be aware of that, and give due credit, if his hometown major newspaper bothered to have a dedicated correspondent covering one of the city’s NBA teams.
-
For all the breathless coverage devoted to celebrity engagements, weddings, and whirlwind divorces, some of Hollywood’s most enduring love stories involve couples who never bothered with the paperwork.
Verb
-
Coach Arne Slot moaned about VAR but his problems lie much closer to home.
-
Critics moaned when the CFP committee picked the Hurricanes over Notre Dame as the last Power 4 entry into the playoffs.
Cite this Entry
“Nagged.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nagged. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
