niggling

C2 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ˈnɪɡ.əl.ɪŋ/ UK /ˈnɪɡ.əl.ɪŋ/ See IPA manual

Freq #67186

Meanings

1

adj
minor yet persistent and irritating, repeatedly demanding attention

A niggling doubt remained about whether the compromise could survive a vote.
2

adj
petty, trivial, or excessively concerned with unimportant details

The reformers opposed niggling regulations that restricted local initiative without serving a public purpose.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · minor yet persistent and... naggingpersistent irritating

2 adj · petty, trivial, or... petty trivial picayune

Opposites

important substantial major

Word family

Derived forms nigglingly

Related forms nigglepettifoggingtriviality

Etymology

The adjective is the present participle of niggle. Niggle is recorded from the early seventeenth century and is apparently Scandinavian in origin, comparable to Norwegian nigla. Its earlier sense of doing something ineffectually developed into fussing over small details and causing slight persistent annoyance.

Topics

Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# niggling

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /ˈnɪɡ.əl.ɪŋ/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈnɪɡ.əl.ɪŋ/
**Frequency rank:** 67186

## Meanings
1. minor yet persistent and irritating, repeatedly demanding attention
2. petty, trivial, or excessively concerned with unimportant details

## Examples
- A niggling doubt remained about whether the compromise could survive a vote.
- The reformers opposed niggling regulations that restricted local initiative without serving a public purpose.

## Synonyms
- nagging
- petty
- trivial
- irritating

## Antonyms
- important
- substantial
- major

## Derived Forms
- nigglingly

## Related Forms
- niggle
- pettifogging
- triviality

## Etymology
The adjective is the present participle of niggle. Niggle is recorded from the early seventeenth century and is apparently Scandinavian in origin, comparable to Norwegian nigla. Its earlier sense of doing something ineffectually developed into fussing over small details and causing slight persistent annoyance.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Word Formation & Derivatives

markdown