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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of gnaw
But on Monday, there was only that pit-of-your-stomach gnawing concoction of disappointment, frustration and emptiness that foments when a chance for history is squandered.
—
Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 20 Jan. 2026
Leave the top open rather than filling it with leaves, which could create an inviting home for bark-gnawing rodents.
—Luke Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Jan. 2026
Their tough teeth also grow very quickly, and gnawing helps keep them sharp and filed down to a manageable length.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 12 Jan. 2026
Sybil bears a tremendous burden and gnawing guilt.
—Shruti Mutalik, Baltimore Sun, 7 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for gnaw
Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 20 Jan. 2026
Leave the top open rather than filling it with leaves, which could create an inviting home for bark-gnawing rodents.
—Luke Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Jan. 2026
Their tough teeth also grow very quickly, and gnawing helps keep them sharp and filed down to a manageable length.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 12 Jan. 2026
Sybil bears a tremendous burden and gnawing guilt.
—Shruti Mutalik, Baltimore Sun, 7 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for gnaw
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gnaw
Verb
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Blue Owl is a significant direct lender to the sector, which has been shaken by concerns that rapidly advancing AI tools could erode traditional SaaS business models.—
Hugh Leask,
CNBC,
5 Mar. 2026
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On her island home in the South Pacific archipelago of Vanuatu, the shoreline has visibly retreated within her short lifetime, with beaches eroded, coastal trees uprooted and some homes now barely 3 feet (about 1 meter) from the sea at high tide.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Their children don't eat enough and have lost weight, Welch said.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
1 Mar. 2026
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Such a partial bypass of the hydropower turbines delivers water cold enough to keep non-native bass from breeding and then eating threatened humpback chubs.—
Brandon Loomis,
AZCentral.com,
28 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gnaw.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gnaw. Accessed 5 Mar. 2026.
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