chew

verb

\ ˈchü

chewed; chewing; chews

Definition of chew

(Entry 1 of 2)

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

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

chew

noun

Definition of chew (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : the act of chewing

2 : something for chewing

Other Words from chew Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about chew

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Other Words from chew

Verb

chewable \ ˈchü-ə-bəl

\ adjective

chewer noun

chewy \ ˈchü-ē

\ adjective

Examples of chew in a Sentence

Verb

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 on the Web: Verb

The shot of Balfe chewing beef jerky while holding a loaded rifle across her lap is everything. — Outlander Fan, Marie Claire, "5 Biggest Takeaways From 'Outlander' Season 4 Episode 5," 3 Dec. 2018 But on the night the Rockets opened their season, Llull was in Milan chewing his towel and chugging water from a can of Red Bull. — Ben Cohen, WSJ, "The Last Best Player Not in the NBA," 30 Oct. 2018 Others who have reported on the machine since claim that the Core i9 CPU in the 2018 MacBook Pro is a perfect example of a laptop biting off more CPU power than its thermal systems can chew. — Samuel Axon, Ars Technica, "2018 15-inch MacBook Pro review: Better, faster, stronger?," 24 July 2018 Eric Ball used to chew on honeycombs as treat from his grandmother, and like most people, enjoys a bit of honey on his biscuits. — Jim Owczarski, Cincinnati.com, "How, and why, a former Cincinnati Bengals running back turned into a beekeeper," 9 July 2018 Willie is now on the mend, hobbling on his three strong legs while wearing a cone to keep him from chewing on the staples in his surgically repaired one, and Home Free has a promising lead on a new owner. — Hillary Davis, latimes.com, "Coming to the rescue: Newport resident’s dog food company starts nonprofit to get homeless dogs veterinary care," 7 July 2018 And for anyone who works at or around Microsoft, there is plenty of Softie-culture skewering to chew on. — Rachel King, Fortune, "Your Summer Reading List: Page-Turning Novels Set in Politics, Finance, and Tech," 6 July 2018 That’s the time for chewing qat, a narcotic leaf popular throughout the country. — Glen Carey, Bloomberg.com, "Saudi Forces Inch Forward in Yemen as Chaos Spreads Behind Lines," 8 Feb. 2018 The tooth is then sealed with an artificial cap, but this can fail over time as a result of the stresses of chewing. — David Cox /, NBC News, "The next revolution in dental care is about to begin," 15 Jan. 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Adults skeletonize leaves, chew flowers, and may completely defoliate plants while larvae feed on lawn and garden plant roots. — The Editors, Good Housekeeping, "The 10 Most Destructive Garden Insects and How to Get Rid of Them," 10 July 2018 With wonderful, affordable wines and classic cocktails to go alongside perfect chew-to-crust ratio pies, this takes a great dinner and movie night up a level further. — Krista Simmons, Condé Nast Traveler, "35 Best Restaurants in Los Angeles," 27 Feb. 2018 Problem #4: His training pad has basically become a chew toy. — Good Housekeeping, "4 Smart Fixes for Your Biggest Puppy Potty Training Problems," 22 Mar. 2016 The chews grew quickly in popularity and now make up about 84 percent of her business, Hoffman said. — Heidi Groover, The Seattle Times, "Washington to ‘reevaluate’ marijuana edibles, crack down on products that might appeal to kids," 5 Oct. 2018 The meat has a noticeable chew that bothers fried chicken lovers used to more tender bird. — Liz Biro, Indianapolis Star, "Here are all the new fried chicken restaurants in Indianapolis," 6 July 2018 Keeping a steady supply of wood chews and Timothy Hay helps the teeth stay at a healthy length, without becoming overgrown. — sacbee, "At the SPCA: Cordelia," 27 June 2018 These have bite and bark, the exteriors satisfying to sink the teeth into, the meat the perfect compromise between tenderness and chew. — Devra First, BostonGlobe.com, "Why is one of Boston’s best new restaurants in Newton?," 30 Apr. 2018 Go with kids to appreciate the pleasures behind this simple combination of sweetness and chew. — OregonLive.com, "Hat Yai is the Southern star in Portland's Thai food constellation," 6 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.