as in eroded
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 gnawed
Wild animals had gnawed through the pressurized canisters, releasing the chemicals inside.
—
Rachel Becker, Los Angeles Times, 12 Feb. 2026
The lengthy posts are the latest development in the long-standing family feud that has gnawed away at the Beckhams’ attempts to project a perfect family life.
—Rebecca Cohen, NBC news, 20 Jan. 2026
That’s gnawed-on, as in rodents.
—David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 19 Dec. 2025
Unfortunately, the wasps had already gnawed much of it, but that is not necessarily a bad sign.
—Alex Ross, New Yorker, 21 Oct. 2025
There were gnaw marks on a chocolate bar on the floor, and a bag of peanuts under the hard candy shelf had been gnawed open.
—Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 17 Oct. 2025
The baby gnawed on the wood posts.
—Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2025
Rachel Becker, Los Angeles Times, 12 Feb. 2026
The lengthy posts are the latest development in the long-standing family feud that has gnawed away at the Beckhams’ attempts to project a perfect family life.
—Rebecca Cohen, NBC news, 20 Jan. 2026
That’s gnawed-on, as in rodents.
—David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 19 Dec. 2025
Unfortunately, the wasps had already gnawed much of it, but that is not necessarily a bad sign.
—Alex Ross, New Yorker, 21 Oct. 2025
There were gnaw marks on a chocolate bar on the floor, and a bag of peanuts under the hard candy shelf had been gnawed open.
—Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 17 Oct. 2025
The baby gnawed on the wood posts.
—Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gnawed
Verb
-
Just to the left of Trouvelot lies another large basin that appears even older and more heavily eroded, with its rim almost completely worn away.—
Samantha Mathewson,
Space.com,
6 Mar. 2026
-
On her island home in the South Pacific archipelago of Vanuatu, the shoreline has visibly retreated within her short lifetime, with beaches eroded, coastal trees uprooted and some homes now barely 3 feet from the sea at high tide.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
On one day in late December, Eden barely ate all day.—
Angela Andaloro,
People.com,
5 Aug. 2025
-
While neither is an effective big league pitcher at this point, those moves ate into the Yankees’ limited rotation depth.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
4 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Gnawed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gnawed. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.
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