chew up
phrasal verb
chewed up; chewing up; chews up
1
: to destroy (something) by chewing it
My new puppy chewed up my shoes.
2
informal
: to destroy or defeat (someone or something)
The truck chewed up the grass.
They chewed the competition up.
Examples of chew up in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Although Moscow's ground forces are being chewed up in the grinding war in Ukraine's east, Russia has wound up its defense industry to backfill its constant equipment losses and regular strikes across Ukraine.
—
Ellie Cook — Reporting From Prague, Czech Republic, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Sep. 2025
This year’s Labor Day weekend was so sleepy for movie ticket sales that a 50-year-old shark thriller chewed up and spit out most of the competition.
—Auzinea Bacon, CNN Money, 1 Sep. 2025
Daniels’ 20-yard grab came with 12 seconds left before halftime to give Miami a 14-7 lead, and the Hurricanes chewed up half of the third-quarter clock on another 75-yard drive capped by Brown’s 5-yard run.
—Tim Reynolds, Chicago Tribune, 1 Sep. 2025
Our weekly note about the timeless greatness of Matthew Golden
Not a day goes by without a clip from a camp drill or joint practice in which Golden is chewing up some overmatched defensive back.
—Andy Behrens, New York Times, 22 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for chew up
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Ellie Cook — Reporting From Prague, Czech Republic, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Sep. 2025
This year’s Labor Day weekend was so sleepy for movie ticket sales that a 50-year-old shark thriller chewed up and spit out most of the competition.
—Auzinea Bacon, CNN Money, 1 Sep. 2025
Daniels’ 20-yard grab came with 12 seconds left before halftime to give Miami a 14-7 lead, and the Hurricanes chewed up half of the third-quarter clock on another 75-yard drive capped by Brown’s 5-yard run.
—Tim Reynolds, Chicago Tribune, 1 Sep. 2025
Our weekly note about the timeless greatness of Matthew Golden
Not a day goes by without a clip from a camp drill or joint practice in which Golden is chewing up some overmatched defensive back.
—Andy Behrens, New York Times, 22 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for chew up
Cite this Entry
“Chew up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chew%20up. Accessed 1 Oct. 2025.
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