niggled
Worried at persistently
Niggled is the past tense of niggle, meaning to cause slight but persistent annoyance or discomfort: Something niggled at the back of her mind.
It can also mean to criticize in petty ways or fuss over small details: He niggled about every minor expense.
The word suggests irritation that won't quite go away.
Complained repeatedly at someone
- irkedMildly angered
- vexedAnnoyed or much-debated
- irritatedSlightly angered or bothered
- botheredAnnoyed or disturbed
pestered · nettled · galled · rankled · chafed · peeved · miffed · aggravated
Worried persistently
- troubledExperiencing distress or anxiety
- worriedTroubled by uncertainty
- preoccupiedMentally elsewhere, not present
- gnawedChewed persistently
haunted · plagued · disturbed · ate away at · preyed on · festered · lingered · persisted
Found petty faults
- quibbledArgued over trifles
- fussedWorried over trifles
- carpedComplained pettily
- caviledObjected over minor points
hairsplit · pedantic · finicky · picky · persnickety · fastidious · overparticular · found fault
Lacking significance or weight
- minorScale with lowered third
- smallLimited in size
- triflingOf no real importance
- insignificantLacking importance or consequence
picayune · piddling · inconsequential · petty · negligible · unimportant · small-minded
nagged
Complained repeatedly at someone
bothered · pestered · nettled · galled · rankled · chafed · peeved · miffed · aggravated · exasperated
fretted
Worried persistently
- troubledExperiencing distress or anxiety
- worriedTroubled by uncertainty
- preoccupiedMentally elsewhere, not present
gnawed · haunted · plagued · disturbed · ate away at · preyed on · festered · lingered · persisted · bothered
nitpicked
Found petty faults
caviled · hairsplit · pedantic · finicky · picky · persnickety · fastidious · overparticular · found fault · picked at
trivial
Lacking significance or weight
insignificant · picayune · piddling · inconsequential · petty · negligible · unimportant · small-minded
niggledignored
Purposely not noticed
dismissed · disregarded · overlooked · forgotten · neglected