gnaw (at or on)

verb

Definition of gnaw (at or on)next
as in to nibble (on)

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for gnaw (at or on)
  1. chew
  2. lick
Verb
  • Bubble gum count will be high Sunday Hafley is known to chew bubble gum frequently.
    — Chris Perkins, Sun Sentinel, 11 Sep. 2026
  • The part that was chewed was the part that goes over your instep, a kind of flap or lip.
    — Lydia Davis, New Yorker, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of chew
Verb
  • There was the physician who analyzed the growth rate of his fingernails for 35 years and the geologist who looked into why his colleagues lick rocks.
    — Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 4 Sep. 2026
  • An ancient Nazi scientist (Dan Stevens) crawling across a carpet to lick a woman’s stilettoed foot.
    — Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of lick
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.

Browse Nearby Words

gnaw (at)
gnaw (at or on)
gnawed
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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 13 Sep. 2026.

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