as in eating
to crush or grind with the teeth
please chew your food thoroughly so you don't choke
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Recent Examples of chewing
Understanding Paper Wasps These wasps make papery nests by scraping and chewing wood into a paste-like pulp—sort of like spit-balls.
—
Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 2 May 2026
This transformed our relationship with time, cutting the time spent chewing raw foods and extending our days beyond sunset.
—Literary Hub, 1 May 2026
Thankfully, there are nonlethal ways to stop mice from chewing wires.
—Michelle Mastro, Martha Stewart, 30 Apr. 2026
One such case involved a man in Texas who had the gene associated with Lesch-Nyhan syndrome, a condition that causes severe intellectual disability and self-harm—chewing one’s fingers and lips, head-bashing, eye-poking.
—Jerome Groopman, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2026
Then, brush the inside surface and the chewing surface of your teeth.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 6 Apr. 2026
Practical advice for managing rose garden pests This season, rose gardeners in San Diego are encountering both sucking and chewing pests.
—Rita Perwich, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Apr. 2026
In the study, chewing difficulties were associated with more severe IBS symptoms.
—Brian Mastroianni, Health, 2 Apr. 2026
Some have gone further, publicly chewing khat on the campaign trail, a gesture that signals solidarity and which has become something of a ritual in Kenyan electoral cycles, with aspiring leaders competing to demonstrate the sincerity of their commitment to khat farmers and traders.
—Joseph Maina, semafor.com, 27 Mar. 2026
Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 2 May 2026
This transformed our relationship with time, cutting the time spent chewing raw foods and extending our days beyond sunset.
—Literary Hub, 1 May 2026
Thankfully, there are nonlethal ways to stop mice from chewing wires.
—Michelle Mastro, Martha Stewart, 30 Apr. 2026
One such case involved a man in Texas who had the gene associated with Lesch-Nyhan syndrome, a condition that causes severe intellectual disability and self-harm—chewing one’s fingers and lips, head-bashing, eye-poking.
—Jerome Groopman, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2026
Then, brush the inside surface and the chewing surface of your teeth.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 6 Apr. 2026
Practical advice for managing rose garden pests This season, rose gardeners in San Diego are encountering both sucking and chewing pests.
—Rita Perwich, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Apr. 2026
In the study, chewing difficulties were associated with more severe IBS symptoms.
—Brian Mastroianni, Health, 2 Apr. 2026
Some have gone further, publicly chewing khat on the campaign trail, a gesture that signals solidarity and which has become something of a ritual in Kenyan electoral cycles, with aspiring leaders competing to demonstrate the sincerity of their commitment to khat farmers and traders.
—Joseph Maina, semafor.com, 27 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for chewing
Verb
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The only other people in the restaurant were two of Magyar’s aides and Miklós, his son, who sat at a nearby table eating burrata.—
Andrew Marantz,
New Yorker,
9 May 2026
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Some health experts note, however, that these forms may provide less fiber and fewer benefits than eating the whole vegetable.—
Teresa Mull,
FOXNews.com,
9 May 2026
Verb
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Sip the famous Pseudo Sue IPA, or sample exploratory and seasonal beers while nibbling on pub favorites like cheese curds.—
Sarah Miller,
Midwest Living,
29 Apr. 2026
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And then there’s some outings where there’s too much nibbling with the cutter, with the sweeper, as opposed to staying on the attack.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Huge amounts of rain lead to vegetation growth, scattering seeds that attract leaf-munching rodents.—
Isabel Debre,
Los Angeles Times,
6 May 2026
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While a caterpillar munching on a leaf is fairly easy to spot and remove, smaller insect pests like thrips, spider mites, or unidentified larvae can risk introducing those problems to your own plants.—
Andy Wilcox,
Better Homes & Gardens,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
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King warned that the war would devour Johnson’s ambition for a Great Society, consuming the resources meant to relieve poverty here at home.—
Mark Conway,
Baltimore Sun,
9 May 2026
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Matters involving architectural reviews and approvals can become particularly contentious and time consuming for homeowner associations, especially in large communities.—
Nicole R. Kurtz,
Miami Herald,
7 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Chewing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/chewing. Accessed 11 May. 2026.
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