Synonyms for nag

Most common

worry · haunt

Synonyms by meaning

Verb

Noun

Definitions

1. v. 1

   To repeatedly remind or complain to (someone) in an annoying way, often about insignificant or unnecessary matters.

   Anyone would think that I nagged at you, Amanda! (From Amanda! by Robin Klein)

2. v. 2

   To bother with persistent thoughts or memories.

   The notion that he forgot something nagged him the rest of the day.

3. n. 1

   An old, useless horse.

4. n. 2

   A small horse; a pony.

Related words

Word family

nagavator nagger naggish naggy nagster nagware

Forms

Plural

nags → jades, hacks, plugs, dobbins…

Past participle

nagged
e.g. nagged → ridden, pecked, hen-pecked, worried…

Example sentences

• worry As regards the result, you need not worry so much.
• haunt My past indiscretions are coming back to haunt me.

Popularity over time

Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.

By length

3 letters

vex¹

4 letters

ride¹, plug¹, hack¹, jade¹, peck¹, aver², hant

5 letters

worry², horse¹, tease¹, annoy², haunt¹, scold¹, shrew

6 letters

plague¹, hector², badger², harass², molest², pester², dobbin², nagger, rouncy

7 letters

torment², needler³, scolder, nagster, gallowa

8 letters

complain², irritate³

The small number after each word is its number of syllables (aver² = 2 syllables).