NIGGLE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does niggle mean? 

• NIGGLE (verb)
  The verb NIGGLE has 2 senses:

1. worry unnecessarily or excessively

2. argue over petty things

  Familiarity information: NIGGLE used as a verb is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• NIGGLE (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they niggle    ... he / she / it niggles   
Past simple: niggled   
Past participle: niggled   
-ing form: niggling   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Worry unnecessarily or excessively

Classified under:

Verbs of feeling

Synonyms:

fret; fuss; niggle

Context example:

don't fuss too much over the grandchildren--they are quite big now

Hypernyms (to "niggle" is one way to...):

worry (be worried, concerned, anxious, troubled, or uneasy)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "niggle"):

scruple (raise scruples)

dither; flap; pother (make a fuss; be agitated)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s PP

Sentence example:

Sam and Sue niggle over the results of the experiment

Sense 2

Meaning:

Argue over petty things

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

bicker; brabble; niggle; pettifog; quibble; squabble

Context example:

Let's not quibble over pennies

Hypernyms (to "niggle" is one way to...):

argue; contend; debate; fence (have an argument about something)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s PP

Derivation:

niggler (someone who constantly criticizes in a petty way)