as in to nibble (on)
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Recent Examples of Synonyms for gnaw (at or on)
Verb
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The video cuts to her lying in bed chewing the banana.—
Bryan West,
USA Today,
7 Oct. 2025 -
Adult beetles chew leaf tissue, leaving the foliage skeletonized and lacy-looking.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
6 Oct. 2025
Verb
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In fact, the mischievous pup led his owner directly to the scene of the crime by licking his lips constantly, which seemed awfully curious.—
Alyce Collins,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Oct. 2025
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Bear 856 is also a large, male brown bear, who is easily identifiable to park rangers due to the animal's unusual habit of licking his lips — a behavior not typically observed in brown bears.—
Charlotte Phillipp,
PEOPLE,
1 Oct. 2025
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“Gnaw (at or on).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gnaw%20%28at%20or%20on%29. Accessed 11 Oct. 2025.
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