Synonyms of gnaw

gnaw

verb

ˈnȯ 

as in to erode

to consume or wear away gradually

time has gnawed that author's reputation to the point where he rates little more than a footnote

Synonyms & Similar Words

• erode
• eat
• corrode
• bite (at)
• destroy
• nibble
• fret
• decompose
• disintegrate
• ruin
• dissolve
• wreck
• waste
• break down
• break up
• decimate
• devastate

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• restore
• renew
• revive
• refresh
• regenerate
• freshen
• revitalize
• recreate
• rejuvenate
• refreshen

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of gnaw

Mice can and will gnaw through most softer materials. — Michelle Mastro, Martha Stewart, 14 June 2026

All of which raises one gnawing little question. — Kyle Wagner, New York Daily News, 11 June 2026

Using its large, continuously growing incisors — which resemble those of rodents more than those of other primates — the aye-aye starts to gnaw its way through the wood. — Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 10 May 2026

Pastor John Mark Comer has won a massive audience by encouraging his followers to free themselves from the gnawing sense that there is always more to do, Nancy Walecki writes. — David A. Graham, The Atlantic, 27 Apr. 2026

Phrases Containing gnaw

• gnaw (on)