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nib·ble | \ ˈni-bəl 
\
\nibbled; nibbling\ ˈni-b(ə-)liŋ \
\Definition of nibble
(Entry 1 of 2)
1a : to bite gently
b : to eat or chew in small bits
2 : to take away bit by bit
waves nibbling the shore
2 : to deal with something as if by nibbling
nibble
nounDefinition of nibble (Entry 2 of 2)
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Other Words from nibble
Verb
nibbler \ ˈni-b(ə-)lər \ noun
\ noun
Examples of nibble in a Sentence
Verb
We nibbled cheese and crackers.
We nibbled on some cheese and crackers before dinner. Noun
He felt a nibble on his fishing line.
They served some delicious nibbles before dinner.
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Recent Examples on the Web: Verb His life was mostly frugal: rising early to practise yoga; working daily at his desk, in his mustard-yellow chair beside a huge map of the world; nibbling rice and corn mealby hand, the African way.
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The Economist, "Obituary: Robert Mugabe died on September 6th," 12 Sep. 2019 In his first week at the Governor’s Residence, Scout has taken to sleeping, exploring and nibbling plants in the yard as well as first lady Gwen Walz’s shoes.
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Dana Ferguson, Twin Cities, "Walz fulfills campaign promise … to his son. Minnesota has a first dog again," 5 Sep. 2019 Reggie made his way to a catnip plant and nibbled away.
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Morgan Greene, chicagotribune.com, "Reggie the runaway cat, at the center of court custody battle, is back home in Logan Square," 28 June 2018 Those are just the latest in what promises to be a steady stream of blazes nibbling away at the Golden State’s bone-dry haunches.
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Patrick May, The Mercury News, "5 ways to track California’s wildfire season," 10 June 2019 Guests nibbled on hors d’oeuvres, sipped craft beer, wine or one of an array of refreshing beverages including iced tea and lemonade.
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Jane Napier Neely, La Cañada Valley Sun, "The Valley Line: Jazz lovers savor ‘Rhythm & Brews BBQ’," 10 Sep. 2019 Walker, who owns a 40-acre hay farm in Sulphur Springs, dealt with snakes slithering through his fields and a multitude of mice nibbling on the cables of his farming equipment.
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Maria Elena Vizcaino, Dallas News, "Mesquite's barn cat program is an 'unemployment agency' for feral cats," 1 Aug. 2019 After nibbling for a few yards at a time, Duke faced a fourth-and-1 from the Tide 7-yard line.
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Michael Casagrande | Mcasagrande@al.com, al, "How Alabama’s 2 freshmen LBs responded to big moment," 1 Sep. 2019 That is a credit to his 150 Algarve goats, an indigenous breed with dark spots on a white coat, who have nibbled away the underbrush that can fuel a fire.
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Raphael Minder, BostonGlobe.com, "Portugal turns to goats as its wildfires get baaaad," 17 Aug. 2019 Recent Examples on the Web: Noun These Puffins provide the perfect crunch in an easy-to-grab nibble.
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Samantha Cassetty, NBC News, "Back to school: 9 lower-sugar snacks and treats for kids you can feel good about," 21 Aug. 2019 Any choice is a satisfying nibble with a glass of wine.
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Ann Trieger Kurland, BostonGlobe.com, "Savory biscuits for grown-ups," 13 Aug. 2019 The veteran nibbles around the strike zone, relying on hitters chasing pitches to accrue outs with soft contact, and the Dodgers (68-37) are one of the best at not chasing.
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Los Angeles Times, "Justin Turner’s late home run caps off Dodgers rally in victory over Nationals," 26 July 2019 For a nightcap, Martin’s bar fits the bill and for an anytime nibble and nosh, room service is available 24/7.
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Melanie Reffes, USA TODAY, "After Hurricane Irma, St. Martin resorts have rebuilt to become bigger and better," 2 July 2019 The Kitchen Room, aglow with mint green light, was stocked with chefs concocting various nibbles.
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Elise Taylor, Vogue, "There Was No Limit to the Champagne, Caviar, and Lobster at Hermès’s Lavish Fete," 5 Apr. 2019 Now armed with corn, asparagus, tree leaves and a flower, Evra proceeds to try seduce each one, rubbing them across his body and giving each a playful nibble.
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SI.com, "Patrice Evra: 8 of the Craziest Moments From Mr 'I Love This Game' After His Retirement," 29 July 2019 At the end of the song, Hill takes a nibble from a pancake served to him by frontman Ezra Koening.
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Ellise Shafer, Billboard, "From Travis Scott to Sara Bareilles, Here's Every Music Video Directed by Jonah Hill," 25 July 2019 To my mind, the salatim is not optional; digging into these nibbles, along with hummus (they’ll be served together) and the heavenly pita arriving direct from the oven, is precisely the experience Galit wants to provide.
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Phil Vettel, chicagotribune.com, "Review: Galit delivers a Middle Eastern masterpiece from James Beard-winning chef Zach Engel," 14 June 2019
See MoreThese example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'nibble.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for nibble
nibble
verbEnglish Language Learners Definition of nibble
(Entry 1 of 2)
: to eat slowly or with small bites
: to bite (something) very gently
nibble
nounEnglish Language Learners Definition of nibble (Entry 2 of 2)
: a small bite
: an expression of interest in something
informal : small things to eat before a meal or at a party : snacks or appetizers
See the full definition for nibble in the English Language Learners Dictionary
nibble
verbnib·ble | \ ˈni-bəl \
\nibbled; nibbling
Kids Definition of nibble
(Entry 1 of 2)
: to bite or chew gently or bit by bit
nibble
nounKids Definition of nibble (Entry 2 of 2)
: a very small amount
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The first known use of nibble was in the 15th century
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