as in eroding
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 gnawing
Some live with the gnawing fear of running out of options.
—
Lauryn Higgins, Flow Space, 24 Sep. 2025
All this scrolling feeds a gnawing anxiety about the status of men today, imperiled by shifting cultural norms and technological addictions — an insecurity at the core of debates about the place of men in literature today.
—Robert Rubsam, Vulture, 18 Sep. 2025
At some point, everyone faces upheaval; a layoff, a health scare, a collapsing industry, or simply the gnawing sense that the old way isn’t working anymore.
—Mark Murphy, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
Some might use it as a toy, gnawing and tearing it up, while others, like Potato, like to sleep with the clothing item.
—Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Aug. 2025
No other piece of music this year so eloquently captured fin de siècle wariness, the gnawing sense that a new, scary, and potentially enlightening world may be only two years away.
—Ew Staff Published, EW.com, 14 Aug. 2025
Poverty was deep and gnawing all over South Georgia.
—Joshua Sharpe
august 6, Literary Hub, 6 Aug. 2025
Lauryn Higgins, Flow Space, 24 Sep. 2025
All this scrolling feeds a gnawing anxiety about the status of men today, imperiled by shifting cultural norms and technological addictions — an insecurity at the core of debates about the place of men in literature today.
—Robert Rubsam, Vulture, 18 Sep. 2025
At some point, everyone faces upheaval; a layoff, a health scare, a collapsing industry, or simply the gnawing sense that the old way isn’t working anymore.
—Mark Murphy, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
Some might use it as a toy, gnawing and tearing it up, while others, like Potato, like to sleep with the clothing item.
—Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Aug. 2025
No other piece of music this year so eloquently captured fin de siècle wariness, the gnawing sense that a new, scary, and potentially enlightening world may be only two years away.
—Ew Staff Published, EW.com, 14 Aug. 2025
Poverty was deep and gnawing all over South Georgia.
—Joshua Sharpe
august 6, Literary Hub, 6 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gnawing
Verb
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An additional 23 metros are currently perfectly market, according to the real estate brokerage—which still represents a positive shift for buyers after years of rising home prices and eroding purchasing power.—
Giulia Carbonaro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Sep. 2025
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Unfortunately, the administration’s actions are eroding such trust.—
Sheldon Jacobson,
Twin Cities,
25 Sep. 2025
Verb
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In the old madrasas, chefs staged feasts that reimagined traditional dishes, turning eating itself into performance.—
Dada Jovanovic,
ABC News,
28 Sep. 2025
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Drinking more water, increasing physical activity, eating potassium-rich foods, and cutting back on salt may improve excretion and potentially improve blood pressure.—
MD Published,
Verywell Health,
26 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Gnawing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gnawing. Accessed 3 Oct. 2025.
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