NettleA prickly plant that can cause skin irritation when touched. is a word with two main verb meanings and one noun meaning. As a verb, it can mean to sting like a nettle, or to annoy and irritateTo bother or make somebody feel annoyed. someone. As a noun, it refers to the stingingCausing a sharp, painful sensation like a prick or burn. plant itself.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-19. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Pronunciation
AI-generated pronunciation audio (OpenAI).
Accent: General American English
IPA: /ˈnɛtəl/
Easy pronunciation: NEH-tuhl (approximate spelling).
Stress: Stress the first syllable: NET- is stronger than -tle.
Verb meaning to annoy or irritate.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-19. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Nettle Meaning
to irritate or annoy someone
Part of speech: verb
Definition: cause annoyance in; disturb, especially by minor irritations
Example: His constant interruptions nettled her during the meeting.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- annoy — A direct, common substitute for this sense.
- bother — Works well when the irritation is mild or repeated.
- irritate — Strong everyday synonym for making someone annoyed.
- vex — Meaning fits, but it is more formal or literary.
- rile — Common in speech, though more informal.
- chafe — Can mean to annoy, but often suggests growing frustration.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-19. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Other Meanings of Nettle
Meaning 2
to sting or burn like a nettle
Part of speech: verb
Definition: sting with or as with nettles and cause a stinging pain or sensation
Example: The plant nettled his skin when he brushed against it.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- urticate — The specialized verb for causing a nettle-like sting.
Meaning 3
a stinging plant
Part of speech: noun
Definition: any of numerous plants having stinging hairs that cause skin irritation on contact (especially of the genus Urtica or family Urticaceae)
Example: We cleared the nettles from the path.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-19. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Nettle Synonyms
Similar Meaning
- annoy
- bother
- irritate
- rile
- vex
- chafe
to sting or burn like a nettle
- urticate
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-19. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Common Mistakes
- Do not mix up the annoying verb sense with the stinging verb sense.
- Do not use the noun sense, the plant, as a synonym for the verb senses.
- Some candidates are only slang or idioms, so they are not safe general synonyms.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-19. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does nettle mean?
Nettle can mean to annoy or irritate someone, or to sting like a nettle. It is also the name of the stinging plant.
What is the most common meaning of nettle?
The most common everyday verb meaning is to annoy or irritate someone.
What are some synonyms for nettle?
For the common verb sense, good synonyms include annoy, bother, irritate, rile, vex, and chafe. For the stinging sense, urticate is the direct synonym.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-19. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.