NAG Synonyms: 165 Similar and Opposite Words

nag 1 of 2

noun

Definition of nag

as in horse

a large hoofed domestic animal that is used for carrying or drawing loads and for riding a poor farmer who could only afford one old nag

Synonyms & Similar Words

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nag

2 of 2

verb

ˈnag

as in to urge

to subject (someone) to constant scoldings and sharp reminders she kept nagging him to fix the furnace before the weather got any colder

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to complain

to express dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment usually tiresomely if all you can do is nag, then you are of no use to this organization at all

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of nag

Noun

But in the final moments, when Carol is back in her coach seat on the plane, something nags at her. — Scott Tobias, Vulture, 7 Nov. 2025 Darius Dotch has been invariably impressive on area stages over the past several years, but he’s handicapped by Shider making Hines’ husband a one-note nag. — Rob Hubbard, Twin Cities, 22 Sep. 2025

Verb

Those questions nag at Dustin Matteson, whose 16-year-old son, Brody, was the kind of teenager who seemed to live on playing fields in Ladera Ranch. — Julia Vargas Jones, CNN Money, 20 Sep. 2026 The stagnancy is nagging, as is the choice to supplant Kat as Season 2’s primary villain in favor of Frankie, a stopgap baddie played by Johnny Flynn. — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 17 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for nag

Recent Examples of Synonyms for nag

Noun

When a bank of televisions showed horses bursting through the starting gate, feet stomped on the club’s carpet.

— Abe Streep, ProPublica, 21 Oct. 2026
So Hanawalt reactivated her dormant Facebook account and began scrolling through local horse sale groups.

— Rachel Brodsky, Los Angeles Times, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of horse

Verb

Two strategists close to Acton’s campaign, granted anonymity to discuss its internalassessment, urged caution about the more optimistic assessment of where the contest now stands.

— Teo Armus, Washington Post, 23 Oct. 2026
Trump has also told Kyiv to stop attacking Russian refineries and urged Ukrainians to replace Zelenskyy.

— Reuters, NBC news, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of urge

Verb

That March, a seventy-year-old patient from a wealthy Cypriot family, Evie Lanitis, arrived at BioMed, complaining of a host of minor maladies, including bursitis in her toes, dental pain, and digestive issues.

— D. T. Max, New Yorker, 26 Oct. 2026
In the days before the spill was announced, residents complained of fuel-like odors pervading areas of Dubai and north.

— Kelsey Warner, semafor.com, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of complain

Verb

A little girl pounding her fists and screaming; none of the visitors nor the staff were allowed to hold her to provide comfort.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 26 Oct. 2026
Rays third baseman Junior Caminero screamed in the dugout after Milwaukee had rallied to tie the game.

— ABC News, ABC News, 25 Oct. 2026

Definition of scream

Verb

The mathematics and computer science graduate, who spent two years in the Peace Corps, launched Netflix by mailing DVDs in red envelopes to customers bothered by Blockbuster Video chain’s practices and late fees.

— Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 26 Oct. 2026
Some people, like me, are bothered by such images but can mostly ignore them.

— Gabriela Galvin, Scientific American, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of bother

Verb

Unlike last year when Texas coach Steve Sarkisian whined about his non-conference schedule, his main complaint this year will be his conference schedule.

— Mac Engel October 25, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Oct. 2026
This contract then frees me, within the pages of the notebook, to do anything—to write or draw, or paint, to whine and complain, to plot and scheme—to fail or succeed without fear.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of whine

Browse Nearby Words

nadirs

nag

nagged

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Style

“Nag.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nag. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of nag

noun

verb

Example Sentences

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