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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of gnaw
Pavement’s early music was scratchy and eccentric, built on guitars that gnawed and eked their way through songs.
—
Hua Hsu, New Yorker, 19 May 2025
Sacramento County health inspectors closed a local Rite Aid drugstore after discovering roughly 140 rodent droppings, gnaw marks and other evidence of a vermin infestation.
—Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado
updated July 11, Sacbee.com, 11 July 2025
Long-suffering Chicago Bulls fans might have felt a gnawing feeling during the NBA Draft Lottery.
—Darnell Mayberry, New York Times, 13 May 2025
What begins as a quiet sense of disconnection can spiral into a gnawing belief that something is wrong.
—Benjamin Laker, Forbes.com, 17 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for gnaw
Hua Hsu, New Yorker, 19 May 2025
Sacramento County health inspectors closed a local Rite Aid drugstore after discovering roughly 140 rodent droppings, gnaw marks and other evidence of a vermin infestation.
—Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado
updated July 11, Sacbee.com, 11 July 2025
Long-suffering Chicago Bulls fans might have felt a gnawing feeling during the NBA Draft Lottery.
—Darnell Mayberry, New York Times, 13 May 2025
What begins as a quiet sense of disconnection can spiral into a gnawing belief that something is wrong.
—Benjamin Laker, Forbes.com, 17 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for gnaw
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gnaw
Verb
-
At the same time, polls have shown confidence in the economy among Republicans eroding.—
Martha McHardy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 Aug. 2025
-
Most world powers say settlement expansion has eroded the viability of a two-state solution by fragmenting Palestinian territory.—
USA Today,
USA Today,
15 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
The successful hatchings come about a year after Scout ate two of his chicks as a first-time dad, leaving the pair with no surviving eaglets from their first nesting season, McClatchy News previously reported.—
Olivia Lloyd,
Miami Herald,
24 Mar. 2025
-
The calls came while eating lunch, while lying in bed at night.—
Max Klaver,
Miami Herald,
24 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Gnaw.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gnaw. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share