gnaw

\ ˈnȯ

How to pronounce gnaw (audio)

\

gnawed; gnawing; gnaws

Definition of gnaw

transitive verb

1a : 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

2a : 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

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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 on the Web Consider the Philadelphia 76ers and the Boston Celtics, two teams with abundant young talent and title aspirations that will gnaw at them over the coming months. — Scott Cacciola, New York Times, "The Lakers’ Winding Path Ends With a Championship," 11 Oct. 2020 At Mygatt-Moore, Drumheller-Horton says, the team found a smattering of bite marks all over, so some carnivores may have taken down the prey and gotten first pick while others were left to gnaw on the carcasses later. — Riley Black, Smithsonian Magazine, "Carnivorous Dinosaurs Like Allosaurus Were Cannibals," 27 May 2020 Unlike a typical Costco membership card, this one is enjoyable to gnaw on. — Kelli Bender, PEOPLE.com, "Costco's Popular Food Court Items Are Now Adorable Dog Toys — And They're On Sale Soon," 11 Aug. 2020 Using their powerful front teeth, the fuzzy creatures will gnaw at trees, build watertight dams and flood different areas to construct their elaborate underwater lodges. — Nora Mcgreevy, Smithsonian Magazine, "Beavers Are Accelerating Climate Change in Alaska," 8 July 2020 Despite a shortage of testing materials, labs and researchers are gnawing away at the need. — Cincinnati.com, "More coronavirus testing needed as Ohio inches toward May 1 reopening," 19 Apr. 2020 The occupation gnaws at the nation’s moral and democratic fiber and poses a risk that there will be more non-Jews than Jews ruled by the Jewish state. — Ethan Bronner, The New York Review of Books, "Stuck," 12 Mar. 2020 Grow old with me or turn your back on the best thing that ever happened to you, risking a lifetime of gnawing regret? — Sarah Lazarus, The New Yorker, "The Environmental Impact of Breaking Up with Me," 4 Nov. 2019 The firm had hoped to use some of the proceeds from that deal to boost ailing units, although worsening finances are gnawing at the lifeline. — William Wilkes, Bloomberg.com, "Thyssenkrupp to Break Up German Giant in Fight for Survival," 19 May 2020

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.

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Last Updated

21 Oct 2020

Cite this Entry

“Gnaw.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gnaw. Accessed 28 Oct. 2020.

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