chew

verb \ ˈchü \

|Updated on: 11 Jun 2018

Examples: chew in a Sentence

Definition of chew

chewed; chewing; chews

transitive verb

1 : to crush, grind, or gnaw (something, such as food) with or as if with the teeth : masticate

2 : to injure, destroy, or consume as if by chewing —usually used with up

chewing up profits

intransitive verb

: to chew something; specifically : to chew tobacco

—

chewable

play \-ə-bəl\ adjective

—

chewer

noun

—

chewy

play \ˈchü-ē\ adjective

— chew on

: to think about : ponder

chewing on the new developments

— chew the fat or less commonly chew the rag

: to make friendly familiar conversation : chat

See chew defined for English-language learners

See chew defined for kids

Examples of chew in a Sentence

We were taught to chew our food thoroughly before swallowing.
He chews with his mouth open.
You're not allowed to chew gum in class.
A mouse chewed through the cord.
The dog chewed a hole in the rug.

Recent Examples of chew from the Web

The flames chewed through brush left bone dry by years of drought across Southern California.

— james queally, latimes.com, "Mandatory evacuations lifted in Aliso fire," 4 June 2018
Some of the children had parts of their legs and arms chewed off.

— New York Times, "Killer Dogs Take 14 Lives. Did Closing Slaughterhouses Play a Role?," 22 May 2018
Yemen’s civil war has chewed up and spat out a generation of youth.

— Washington Post, "In Yemen’s Aden, a generation chewed up and spit out by war," 12 May 2018
Some dogs were merely puppies that were not housebroken, struggled to walk on a leash, chewed on things, and didn’t respond to their names.

— beth mole, Ars Technica, "$25K “diabetic alert dogs” were untrained, un-housebroken puppies, lawsuit says," 10 May 2018
By now, the entire White House Correspondents’ Dinner has been chewed through thoroughly, but here’s a quick recap.

— jason johnson, The Root, "It’s Been a Week; Can We Finally Admit That Everybody Won at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner?," 4 May 2018
The project will chew up a lot of high-value farm ground, though.

— sven berg, idahostatesman, "Star's growth is inevitable. Here's how it'll affect Boise and the Treasure Valley | Idaho Statesman," 4 May 2018
The men here chew toothpicks like uncles on both sides of my family.

— ben taub, The New Yorker, "Jenny Xie Writes a Sightseer’s Guide to the Self," 30 Apr. 2018
In 2003, the rudder of the USS Connecticut was chewed by a polar bear while it was surfaced.

— david hambling, Popular Mechanics, "How the Navy Punches a Nuclear Sub Through Arctic Ice," 5 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'chew.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of chew

Middle English, from Old English cēowan; akin to Old High German kiuwan to chew, Russian zhevat'

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: before 12th century

in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

See Words from the same year

chew Synonyms

Synonyms

bite (on), champ, chaw, chomp (on), crunch (on), gnaw (on), masticate, nibble;

Related Words

ruminate;

munch, nosh, snack;

consume, eat, ingest, swallow;

bolt, devour, gobble (up or down), gorge, gulp, scarf, scoff, snack, wolf;

nip, peck (at), pick (at);

gum, mumble;

Phrases

sink one's teeth into;

chew

noun

Definition of chew

1 : the act of chewing

2 : something for chewing

See chew defined for English-language learners

Recent Examples of chew from the Web

The Beyond Burger contains peas for protein, beet for the beefy red color, and coconut oil and potato starch for juice and chew.

— lauren delgado, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Taste test: Vegetarian Beyond Burger vs. beef," 4 June 2018
In this case, the tofu and buttermilk combined for a chalky texture and the raw ribbons of rhubarb became more like dental floss with each chew.

— michael bauer, San Francisco Chronicle, "The Perennial makes environmental activism taste good," 25 May 2018
Still, what to do about the hulking dog crate in the kitchen and the assorted chew toys scattered around the living room?

— michelle higgins, sacbee, "Limit the impact that dogs, cats unleash on orderliness | The Sacramento Bee," 25 May 2018
Still, what to do about the hulking dog crate in the kitchen and the assorted chew toys scattered around the living room?

— michelle higgins, sacbee, "Limit the impact that dogs, cats unleash on orderliness | The Sacramento Bee," 25 May 2018
Find affordable tennis balls, stuffed animals, and other chew-friendly toys at the thrift store to keep everyone happy.

— stephanie granada, Sunset, "How to Throw the Best-Ever Dog Birthday Party," 22 Jan. 2018
But my gold standard is the honey boiled and wood-fired Montreal bagel from St-Viateur, which is bit thinner, sweeter and has an airier chew.

— michael nagrant, RedEye Chicago, "Steingold's is the Jewish deli of the future," 3 Dec. 2017
This is the best time to offer them a long-lasting chew toy.

— cathy m. rosenthal, San Antonio Express-News, "Your guide to making bath time better for your dog," 4 May 2018
Still, what to do about the hulking dog crate in the kitchen and the assorted chew toys scattered around the living room?

— michelle higgins, New York Times, "Dogs and Cats and Decorating: It’s Easier Than You Think," 1 May 2018

First Known Use of chew

13th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

CHEW Defined for English Language Learners

chew

verb

Definition of chew for English Language Learners

: to use your teeth to cut food into small pieces before you swallow it
: to bite on (something) repeatedly with the teeth
: to make (something, such as a hole) by chewing

chew

noun

Definition of chew for English Language Learners

: the act of chewing something
: something that a person or animal chews

CHEW Defined for Kids

chew

verb \ ˈchü \

Definition of chew for Students

chewed; chewing

: to crush or grind with the teeth

chewing food

chew

noun

Definition of chew for Students

1 : the act of crushing or grinding with the teeth

2 : something that a person or animal chews

a dog's rawhide chew

Learn More about chew

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for chew Spanish Central: Translation of chew Nglish: Translation of chew for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of chew for Arabic speakers

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chew

Definition of chew

chewable

chewer

chewy

Examples of chew in a Sentence

Recent Examples of chew from the Web

Origin and Etymology of chew

chew Synonyms

Synonyms

Related Words

Phrases

chew

Definition of chew

Recent Examples of chew from the Web

First Known Use of chew

Phrases Related to CHEW

Related Phrases

CHEW Defined for English Language Learners

chew

Definition of chew for English Language Learners

chew

Definition of chew for English Language Learners

CHEW Defined for Kids

chew

Definition of chew for Students

chew

Definition of chew for Students

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