niggling
- adjective
- /ˈnɪɡlɪŋ/
- UK
:
insignificante
- Although he had a niggling feeling that something was wrong, he chose to focus on the positive aspects of the project.
It was just this niggling factoid that was part of his past.
- It was just this niggling factoid that was part of his past.
- And, and the things that were really that might have been niggling or causing arguments don't matter now.
Examples
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The debate became tedious as they kept arguing over niggling details instead of addressing the main issues.
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Wouldn't that provide us with a better basis for determining who to vote for in this election than some of the niggling points you like to dwell on?
Blog text (32) -
And, and the things that were really that might have been niggling or causing arguments don't matter now.
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These issues are subject to dispute by the IRS, and they can take a fairly tough and niggling attitude.
Academic text (1999) -
It was just this niggling factoid that was part of his past.
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It was just this niggling factoid that was part of his past.
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I also think what Israel destroying Hamas, Hezbollah, you get rid of Iran, then it's kind of Qatar is the kind of only sort of niggling issue.
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She decided to ignore the niggling concerns that had been bothering her, realizing they were unimportant in the grand scheme of things.
Synonyms
121
3.9
Not important or serious
120
3.7
Small and unimportant in position or power
4
7.9
A very small amount or unimportant detail
1
8.6
Too small or not important to matter
1
9.9
Small and not important
Small in amount and not important
Very small and not important
Unimportant and not worth attention
Very small or unimportant
A small pain or problem that keeps annoying you
Antonyms
How Important
Surface Forms
Morphology
Etymology
Niggling comes from the word niggle, which means 'to pick at small things' or to keep worrying about a tiny issue. A helpful way to remember it is to think of a small nibble at a loose thread — so a niggling problem is small and petty but still annoying.