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
Sip the famous Pseudo Sue IPA, or sample exploratory and seasonal beers while nibbling on pub favorites like cheese curds.
—
Sarah Miller, Midwest Living, 29 Apr. 2026
And then there’s some outings where there’s too much nibbling with the cutter, with the sweeper, as opposed to staying on the attack.
—Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 27 Apr. 2026
In October 2025, a TikTok user posted a video of a gray squirrel nibbling on the mouth end of a vape device in Philadelphia.
—Ryan Brennan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 Mar. 2026
Their livestock wander about us, enormous antlers swinging, hooves clicking — the sound helps them to find each other in a blizzard — and occasionally nibbling lichen from Aatsinki’s outstretched hand.
—Liam Denning, Bloomberg, 12 Mar. 2026
Our fellow guests were all seated at garden tables, nibbling sandwiches cut into little triangles and sipping from fancy teacups.
—Flora Stubbs, Travel + Leisure, 7 Feb. 2026
This is an inexpensive and simple way to deter nibbling animals.
—Peg Aloi, The Spruce, 5 Feb. 2026
The water is brackish and refreshingly cold, with darting fish nibbling at dangling feet.
—Anna Zacharias, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Jan. 2026
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
Sarah Miller, Midwest Living, 29 Apr. 2026
And then there’s some outings where there’s too much nibbling with the cutter, with the sweeper, as opposed to staying on the attack.
—Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 27 Apr. 2026
In October 2025, a TikTok user posted a video of a gray squirrel nibbling on the mouth end of a vape device in Philadelphia.
—Ryan Brennan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 Mar. 2026
Their livestock wander about us, enormous antlers swinging, hooves clicking — the sound helps them to find each other in a blizzard — and occasionally nibbling lichen from Aatsinki’s outstretched hand.
—Liam Denning, Bloomberg, 12 Mar. 2026
Our fellow guests were all seated at garden tables, nibbling sandwiches cut into little triangles and sipping from fancy teacups.
—Flora Stubbs, Travel + Leisure, 7 Feb. 2026
This is an inexpensive and simple way to deter nibbling animals.
—Peg Aloi, The Spruce, 5 Feb. 2026
The water is brackish and refreshingly cold, with darting fish nibbling at dangling feet.
—Anna Zacharias, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Jan. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nibbling
Verb
-
Understanding Paper Wasps These wasps make papery nests by scraping and chewing wood into a paste-like pulp—sort of like spit-balls.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
2 May 2026
-
This transformed our relationship with time, cutting the time spent chewing raw foods and extending our days beyond sunset.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
1 May 2026
Verb
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Sometimes, both groups split the cost of major repairs, like recent upgrades to the eroding south porch.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
8 May 2026
-
The move has raised concerns about eroding the freedom of navigation on which global trade depends.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
8 May 2026
Verb
-
The siblings have been caught pecking and pushing each other during a feeding session.—
Michelle Del Rey,
USA Today,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Choose cloth that is dense enough to prevent the birds from pecking for seeds.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The only other people in the restaurant were two of Magyar’s aides and Miklós, his son, who sat at a nearby table eating burrata.—
Andrew Marantz,
New Yorker,
9 May 2026
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Some health experts note, however, that these forms may provide less fiber and fewer benefits than eating the whole vegetable.—
Teresa Mull,
FOXNews.com,
9 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Nibbling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nibbling. Accessed 11 May. 2026.
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