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
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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
Growing clover in your yard can distract deer and rabbits from nibbling on other garden plants.
—
Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 May 2026
The parrot has since moved from Auteuil’s head to a perch on his shoulder, nibbling at his ear with complete proprietary confidence.
—Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 14 May 2026
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
Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 May 2026
The parrot has since moved from Auteuil’s head to a perch on his shoulder, nibbling at his ear with complete proprietary confidence.
—Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 14 May 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nibbling
Verb
-
Eating Too Much or Too Late Eating a large dinner or snacking too close to bedtime can cause a rise in blood sugar that may last all night, especially if the snack is high in simple carbs.—
Jennifer Lefton,
Verywell Health,
12 May 2026
Verb
-
Common symptoms include jaw pain, clicking or popping, headaches, earaches, difficulty chewing and ringing in the ears.—
Nicole Bennett,
AJC.com,
22 May 2026
-
Both the Prince and Princess of Wales have spoken out this month about their dogs’ bad habit of chewing items around the house.—
Rachel Burchfield,
InStyle,
22 May 2026
Verb
-
International watchdogs warn of democratic backsliding under Vucic, citing police abuses and pressure on critics, while Serbia’s bid for European Union membership faces potential funding cuts over eroding rule of law.—
Jovana Gec,
Los Angeles Times,
24 May 2026
-
The Fed itself projects inflation may not return to target for two more years, a stretch that risks eroding public confidence that longer-term prices will stay anchored.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
23 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
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Choose cloth that is dense enough to prevent the birds from pecking for seeds.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
That means tolerating a certain level of damage from leaf-eating insects.—
Beth Botts,
Chicago Tribune,
23 May 2026
-
The overall objective is to educate guests on how to have a sustainable and enjoyable eating plan that continues post-stay—there are optional cooking classes to help establish the ground rules.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Nibbling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nibbling. Accessed 24 May. 2026.
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