as in to chew
to crush or grind with the teeth
please don't gnaw on that steak bone—it's very unseemly
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gnaw (on)
chew
Verb
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Once all the easy-to-access food sources are depleted, squirrels chew through plastic, wood, or house siding to find more.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
4 Sep. 2025 -
The skunk with distemper is stuck in the window well again, chewing incessantly on the garden hose that is coiled up in there.—
Miriam Toews
September 3,
Literary Hub,
3 Sep. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Gnaw (on).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gnaw%20%28on%29. Accessed 8 Sep. 2025.
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