1
as in snacking
to eat reluctantly and in small bites
having no real appetite at all, I just nibbled during the party
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in chewing
to crush or grind with the teeth
nibbling crackers
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in eroding
to consume or wear away gradually
discovered that inflation had steadily nibbled their savings
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of nibbling
Most of them spend a decent chunk of time nibbling on beetles, moths, mosquitoes, and the like.
—
Popular Science Team, Popular Science, 3 Dec. 2025
Fabulous house, wonderful food, 30 companies trolling for dough, a raft of others nibbling and drinking.
—Neil Senturia, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Nov. 2025
To prevent injury, wrap tree bark in late fall and remove in early spring (this will also prevent rodent nibbling of the trunk).
—Luke Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Nov. 2025
Even shoppers nibbling on a slice of pizza seemed to be mocking him.
—Jeff Pearlman, Rolling Stone, 17 Oct. 2025
But now social media is eating media-media’s lunch, nibbling into time that used to be spent watching TV and movies, particularly for younger generations, and refashioning itself less as a network and more as a broadcaster.
—Julie Beck, The Atlantic, 16 Oct. 2025
My favorite place to enjoy them is Louis Cafe, where they’re tossed with parsley, onion, and red peppers—ideal for nibbling while people-watching and soaking up the live jazz that gives this new-school kafeneio, or café, its charm.
—Katherine Whittaker, Saveur, 9 Oct. 2025
In the legendary revelation scene, Billy (Skeet Ulrich) and Stu (Matthew Lillard) passionately cling to each other, with Stu practically nibbling on Billy’s ear.
—Samantha Allen, Them., 7 Oct. 2025
The coffee and open food processing areas of a Tamarac gas station convenience store operating without a food permit got shut down by rodent nibbling and pooping.
—David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 30 Sep. 2025
Popular Science Team, Popular Science, 3 Dec. 2025
Fabulous house, wonderful food, 30 companies trolling for dough, a raft of others nibbling and drinking.
—Neil Senturia, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Nov. 2025
To prevent injury, wrap tree bark in late fall and remove in early spring (this will also prevent rodent nibbling of the trunk).
—Luke Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Nov. 2025
Even shoppers nibbling on a slice of pizza seemed to be mocking him.
—Jeff Pearlman, Rolling Stone, 17 Oct. 2025
But now social media is eating media-media’s lunch, nibbling into time that used to be spent watching TV and movies, particularly for younger generations, and refashioning itself less as a network and more as a broadcaster.
—Julie Beck, The Atlantic, 16 Oct. 2025
My favorite place to enjoy them is Louis Cafe, where they’re tossed with parsley, onion, and red peppers—ideal for nibbling while people-watching and soaking up the live jazz that gives this new-school kafeneio, or café, its charm.
—Katherine Whittaker, Saveur, 9 Oct. 2025
In the legendary revelation scene, Billy (Skeet Ulrich) and Stu (Matthew Lillard) passionately cling to each other, with Stu practically nibbling on Billy’s ear.
—Samantha Allen, Them., 7 Oct. 2025
The coffee and open food processing areas of a Tamarac gas station convenience store operating without a food permit got shut down by rodent nibbling and pooping.
—David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 30 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nibbling
Verb
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Across multiple studies, people who chewed gum did not remember lists of words or stories better than those who didn't, the researchers also found, and any boost in attention faded soon after chewing stopped.—
Deirdre Bardolf,
FOXNews.com,
10 Jan. 2026
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And despite that famous nursery rhyme, woodchucks don’t like wood but get labeled a pest because of their hole-digging and habit of chewing on flowers and vegetable garden plants.—
Philip Potempa,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Ride-hailing dominance is eroding consumer brand perception Market dynamics show that ride-hailing operators prioritize vehicles that deliver the strongest cost-to-performance ratio, often selecting models purely on economic efficiency.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
11 Jan. 2026
-
But inflation and low interest rates end up eroding the value of household savings.—
Angelica Ang,
Fortune,
10 Jan. 2026
Verb
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By the time a new museum renovation has hatched, a successor is already pecking through its shell.—
Jackson Arn,
Harpers Magazine,
30 Dec. 2025
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Cellos and basses may be rumbling along on a frighteningly low melody, as the woodwinds are pecking like a riot in a chicken coop, while the high strings are sustaining a cluster of odd, disconcerting notes.—
Toria Sheffield,
PEOPLE,
29 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Whether lounging in white wicker rocking chairs or eating outside off wrought iron tables, some patio furniture will always be reminiscent of her.—
Shea Simmons,
Southern Living,
12 Jan. 2026
-
In search of evidence Doctors kept asking Nicole what Hannah had been eating in the months leading up to her hospital stay.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
11 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Nibbling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nibbling. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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