nibbled; nibbling
ˈni-b(ə-)liŋ 
1
a
: to bite gently
b
: to eat or chew in small bits
2
: to take away bit by bit
waves nibbling the shore
1
: to take gentle, small, or cautious bites
also
: snack
2
: to deal with something as if by nibbling
Synonyms
Examples of nibble in a Sentence
Verb
We nibbled cheese and crackers.
We nibbled on some cheese and crackers before dinner.
Noun
He felt a nibble on his fishing line.
They served some delicious nibbles before dinner.
Recent Examples on the Web
Leslie Wayne, New York Times, 20 May 2024
Guests nibbled on tiny plates of artichokes and white fish on crackers, but perhaps as a sign of keeping costs down, the food was scarce.
—Ramin Setoodeh, Variety, 15 May 2024
There’s no need to eat less, and steady nibbling on healthy foods could actually help the body recover.
—San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 May 2024
Like termites eating away at the structure of a house, the court has been nibbling away at the constitutional structure of our national republic for the past 30 years.
—Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 3 May 2024
This nibbling process created an independent set using a relatively small portion of the original graph.
—Quanta Magazine, 30 Apr. 2024
As the night unfolded, custom martinis and margaritas were sipped, and caviar dress hors d'oeuvres were nibbled on, all while guests danced to upbeat DJ mixes by model Ruby Aldridge and Va$htie.
—Kiana Murden, Vogue, 19 Apr. 2024
If sipping Dom Perignon and nibbling on blinis topped with caviar is on your wish list, these fifth freedoms also provide the ability to redeem fewer Emirates miles than the longer-distance flights from the U.S. all the way to Dubai.
—Chris Dong, Travel + Leisure, 16 Apr. 2024
Nearby attractions: People watch at Rio de Janeiro park, nibble on a fresh pastry from Rosetta bakery, and dive into current exhibitions at OMR Gallery.
—Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 11 Apr. 2024
Southern Living Test Kitchen, Southern Living, 15 May 2024
Enjoy a spritz with a view: Skip the overpriced bars on Piazza San Marco, but do find an elegant canal-view bar to sip a cocktail and complementary nibbles — Bar Longhi at the Gritti Palace is a storied choice.
—Elizabeth Heath, Travel + Leisure, 12 May 2024
The fried chicken nibbles and mini waffles were both chewy rather than crispy.
—Brady MacDonald, Orange County Register, 10 May 2024
And a nibble for trivia buffs: Color Me Badd provides the backing vocals.
42.
—Melissa Ruggieri, USA TODAY, 9 May 2024
For a mom who loves to put out nibbles for guests, this book is a veritable goldmine of ideas that also happens to be quite the looker on the coffee table.
—Saveur Editors, Saveur, 25 Apr. 2024
In addition to being delicious, these unusual nibbles gently eliminate tartar and plaque as they are consumed.
—Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 1 July 2023
Expect to get a nibble on your lululemons or a piece of your ponytail.
—Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Mar. 2024
So, pack a backpack filled with Champagne and nibbles (don’t forget the ring!), and head there for sunset for a memory-making moment.
—Laura Hampson, Condé Nast Traveler, 14 Feb. 2024
Verb
He was known for going into fancy restaurants and ordering every dish on the menu, tasting them and then nibbling on one dish while ignoring the rest.
—Leslie Wayne, New York Times, 20 May 2024
Guests nibbled on tiny plates of artichokes and white fish on crackers, but perhaps as a sign of keeping costs down, the food was scarce.
—Ramin Setoodeh, Variety, 15 May 2024
There’s no need to eat less, and steady nibbling on healthy foods could actually help the body recover.
—San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 May 2024
Like termites eating away at the structure of a house, the court has been nibbling away at the constitutional structure of our national republic for the past 30 years.
—Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 3 May 2024
This nibbling process created an independent set using a relatively small portion of the original graph.
—Quanta Magazine, 30 Apr. 2024
As the night unfolded, custom martinis and margaritas were sipped, and caviar dress hors d'oeuvres were nibbled on, all while guests danced to upbeat DJ mixes by model Ruby Aldridge and Va$htie.
—Kiana Murden, Vogue, 19 Apr. 2024
If sipping Dom Perignon and nibbling on blinis topped with caviar is on your wish list, these fifth freedoms also provide the ability to redeem fewer Emirates miles than the longer-distance flights from the U.S. all the way to Dubai.
—Chris Dong, Travel + Leisure, 16 Apr. 2024
Nearby attractions: People watch at Rio de Janeiro park, nibble on a fresh pastry from Rosetta bakery, and dive into current exhibitions at OMR Gallery.
—Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 11 Apr. 2024
Noun
Pull-Apart Pizza Bread makes the ideal nibble for Super Bowl parties.
—Southern Living Test Kitchen, Southern Living, 15 May 2024
Enjoy a spritz with a view: Skip the overpriced bars on Piazza San Marco, but do find an elegant canal-view bar to sip a cocktail and complementary nibbles — Bar Longhi at the Gritti Palace is a storied choice.
—Elizabeth Heath, Travel + Leisure, 12 May 2024
The fried chicken nibbles and mini waffles were both chewy rather than crispy.
—Brady MacDonald, Orange County Register, 10 May 2024
And a nibble for trivia buffs: Color Me Badd provides the backing vocals.
42.
—Melissa Ruggieri, USA TODAY, 9 May 2024
For a mom who loves to put out nibbles for guests, this book is a veritable goldmine of ideas that also happens to be quite the looker on the coffee table.
—Saveur Editors, Saveur, 25 Apr. 2024
In addition to being delicious, these unusual nibbles gently eliminate tartar and plaque as they are consumed.
—Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 1 July 2023
Expect to get a nibble on your lululemons or a piece of your ponytail.
—Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Mar. 2024
So, pack a backpack filled with Champagne and nibbles (don’t forget the ring!), and head there for sunset for a memory-making moment.
—Laura Hampson, Condé Nast Traveler, 14 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'nibble.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near nibble
Cite this Entry
“Nibble.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nibble. Accessed 28 May. 2024.
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