What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
nags
Example
My mom always nags me to clean my room. [nags: verb]
Example
He is such a nag, always complaining about everything. [nag: noun]
pester
Example
The kids kept pestering me to buy them candy. [pestering: gerund or present participle]
Example
She was being pestered by her ex-boyfriend with constant phone calls. [pestered: past tense]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Pester is more commonly used than nags in everyday language. Pester is versatile and covers a wide range of contexts, while nags is less common and refers to a specific type of behavior.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between nags and pester?
Both nags and pester are informal words and are not typically used in formal contexts.
