gnaw

verb \ ˈnȯ \

|Updated on: 11 Aug 2018

Examples: gnaw in a Sentence

Definition of gnaw

gnawed; gnawing; gnaws

transitive verb

1 a : to bite or chew on with the teeth; especially : to wear away by persistent biting or nibbling

a dog gnawing a bone

b : to make by gnawing

rats gnawed a hole

2 a : to be a source of vexation to : plague

anxiety always gnawing him

b : to affect like gnawing

hunger gnawing her vitals

3 : erode, corrode

intransitive verb

1 : to bite or nibble persistently

gnawing at his underlip

2 : to produce an effect of or as if of gnawing

waves gnawing away at the cliffs

—

gnawer

play \ˈnȯ(-ə)r\ noun

See gnaw defined for English-language learners

See gnaw defined for kids

Examples of gnaw in a Sentence

The dog was gnawing a bone.
He nervously gnawed on his fingernails.
Rabbits have gnawed at the hedge.
Rabbits had gnawed a hole in the hedge.

Recent Examples of gnaw from the Web

More: Korea's historic goal — by American Randi Griffin — has roots to USA's gold in 1998 More: 2018 Winter Olympics: No NHL players, but NHL talent abounds This was the kind of loss that gnaws at players and coaches.

— kevin allen, USA TODAY, "Team USA hockey must learn quickly — or shocking loss to Slovenia in Olympic opener won't be its last," 14 Feb. 2018
And over the years, erosion has gnawed away at the shoreline walking trail at Illinois Beach State Park.

— tony briscoe, chicagotribune.com, "What happens when Lake Superior has too much water? It dumps it into an already overflowing Lake Michigan," 13 July 2018
As the days passed with no word from him, anxiety gnawed at me.

— brian barnett, STAT, "Jails and prisons: the unmanned front in the battle against the opioid epidemic," 2 July 2018
Then, the gnawing questions followed, the same ones that are always there for me as a teacher of race issues.

— angie chuang, Washington Post, "Woke 101: If Starbucks struggled to teach about race, can universities’ diversity curricula do better?," 13 June 2018
Take your puppy for a hike and offer Ms. Limpy-Legs a delicious soup bone to gnaw in your absence.

— blair braverman, Outside Online, "Will Your Old Dog Feel Unloved with a New Puppy Around?," 4 Apr. 2018
While getting milk for a midnight snack, June runs into Eden, who consults June with a gnawing concern of hers.

— refinery29.com, "The Handmaid's Tale Recap Season 2, Episode 12: Gilead's Romeo & Juliet," 4 July 2018
Another big category to keep your pets from gnawing is aroids (aka arums), the group of plants including philodendrons, pothos, peace lily (Spathiphyllum), arrowhead plants (Syngonium), elephant ear (Caladium), Dieffenbachia and others.

— kenneth setzer, miamiherald, "Some of South Florida's most popular plants may be toxic to pets," 14 June 2018
James has conquered every one of his foes convincingly, but Golden State’s 3–1 record against him in the Finals has to gnaw on him at his core.

— rohan nadkarni, SI.com, "Ranking LeBron James’s Top-Five Reasons For Leaving Cleveland," 10 June 2018

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

Origin and Etymology of gnaw

Middle English gnawen, from Old English gnagan; akin to Old High German gnagan to gnaw

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: before 12th century

in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

See Words from the same year

gnaw Synonyms

Synonyms

bite (at), corrode, eat, erode, fret, nibble;

Near Antonyms

freshen, recreate, refresh, refreshen, regenerate, rejuvenate, renew, restore, revitalize, revive;

decimate, destroy, devastate, ruin, waste, wreck;

GNAW Defined for English Language Learners

gnaw

verb

Definition of gnaw for English Language Learners

: to bite or chew (something) repeatedly
: to make (a hole in something) by chewing

GNAW Defined for Kids

gnaw

verb \ ˈnȯ \

Definition of gnaw for Students

gnawed; gnawing

: to bite so as to wear away : bite or chew upon

The dog gnawed a bone.

Learn More about gnaw

See words that rhyme with gnaw Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for gnaw Spanish Central: Translation of gnaw Nglish: Translation of gnaw for Spanish speakers

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up gnaw? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show

gnaw

Definition of gnaw

gnawer

Examples of gnaw in a Sentence

Recent Examples of gnaw from the Web

Origin and Etymology of gnaw

gnaw Synonyms

Synonyms

Near Antonyms

Related Words

Phrases Related to GNAW

Related Phrases

GNAW Defined for English Language Learners

gnaw

Definition of gnaw for English Language Learners

GNAW Defined for Kids

gnaw

Definition of gnaw for Students

Learn More about gnaw

Seen and Heard

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games

The Difference Between Dependent and Independent Clauses

The Eponym Quiz

Come Back Here With That: 10 Fun Words for Stealing

Trending: WaPo: Doocy 'Incomparably Sequacious'

Ghost Word