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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Recent Examples of gnaw
Those scissors are ready to slice and dice paper with ease and gnaw through heavier materials like twine.
—
New Atlas, 2 Sep. 2025
Some might use it as a toy, gnawing and tearing it up, while others, like Potato, like to sleep with the clothing item.
—Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Aug. 2025
No other piece of music this year so eloquently captured fin de siècle wariness, the gnawing sense that a new, scary, and potentially enlightening world may be only two years away.
—Ew Staff Published, EW.com, 14 Aug. 2025
Poverty was deep and gnawing all over South Georgia.
—Joshua Sharpe
august 6, Literary Hub, 6 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gnaw
New Atlas, 2 Sep. 2025
Some might use it as a toy, gnawing and tearing it up, while others, like Potato, like to sleep with the clothing item.
—Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Aug. 2025
No other piece of music this year so eloquently captured fin de siècle wariness, the gnawing sense that a new, scary, and potentially enlightening world may be only two years away.
—Ew Staff Published, EW.com, 14 Aug. 2025
Poverty was deep and gnawing all over South Georgia.
—Joshua Sharpe
august 6, Literary Hub, 6 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gnaw
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gnaw
Verb
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No matter the amount of money lost, being scammed can damage mental and physical health, erode self-confidence and diminish one’s quality of life.—
Madhusree Mukerjee,
Scientific American,
8 Oct. 2025
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If women, Black and brown Americans, and immigrants were driven out of the ranks, recruitment would crater, readiness would erode, and cohesion would collapse.—
Loree Sutton,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The Premier League is eating itself slightly as a breeding ground for English talent.—
Liam Tharme,
New York Times,
5 Oct. 2025
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In the Carmel area, the trail passes a cool play space and Midtown Plaza, where the family can play a little ping-pong or corn hole, grab a bite to eat, or just relax on the bench swings.—
Beth Luberecki,
USA Today,
4 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Gnaw.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gnaw. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.
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