as in to nibble (on)
Related Words
Relevance
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gnaw (at or on)
Verb
-
Federal customs officials at Washington Dulles Airport seized 139 pounds of Ethiopian khat, a plant chewed for its amphetamine-like effect, that was destined for Sacramento.—
Rosalio Ahumada,
Sacbee.com,
18 June 2026 -
Slugs and snails are some of the peskiest garden visitors that can riddle plant leaves with ragged holes or chew tender crops like lettuce down to nubs overnight.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
18 June 2026
Verb
-
Bring along a friend who wouldn’t be able to indulge in these kinds of finger-licking treats otherwise.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
18 June 2026
-
The image of the students as vivisectors, committed to extracting the hearts and licking the bones of the transgressors in their midst, seems to mirror her own hatred of the university’s tendency toward frenzied analysis.—
Hannah Gold,
New Yorker,
17 June 2026
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.
Cite this Entry
“Gnaw (at or on).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gnaw%20%28at%20or%20on%29. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
