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
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
Reynolds argued that contemporary pop is less about innovation and more about revisiting previous decades, blurring distinct eras, and nibbling away at the present’s identity.
—Preston Fore, Fortune, 11 Sep. 2025
As Noack played, people stood overlooking the valley with wine glasses in hand or sat barefoot in the grass, nibbling on olives and cheese.
—Elena Valeriote, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
Cape Cod potato chips were served as a light, crunchy snack, ideal for nibbling between games or mingling.
—Elizabeth Fogarty, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Aug. 2025
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
Reynolds argued that contemporary pop is less about innovation and more about revisiting previous decades, blurring distinct eras, and nibbling away at the present’s identity.
—Preston Fore, Fortune, 11 Sep. 2025
As Noack played, people stood overlooking the valley with wine glasses in hand or sat barefoot in the grass, nibbling on olives and cheese.
—Elena Valeriote, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
Cape Cod potato chips were served as a light, crunchy snack, ideal for nibbling between games or mingling.
—Elizabeth Fogarty, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nibbling
Verb
-
And when daily wear and tear was simulated – through continuous electric-toothbrush abrasion equivalent to about a year of brushing, as well as chewing and grinding – the teeth actually had superior resistance to wear, fracture and acid attack compared with natural enamel.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
5 Nov. 2025
-
Their larvae are capable of chewing through cardboard boxes and plastic bags, meaning even unopened packages of food are at risk for infestation.—
Lauren Wicks,
Southern Living,
28 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Most recently, in 2022, the county had completed a more than $18 million project for beach nourishment, which is the process of adding sand to an eroding beach to widen it.—
Samantha Delouya,
CNN Money,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Meanwhile, a recent constitutional reform that gave Mexico’s ruling party control over all three branches of government has fed fears of rising state control over the economy, eroding confidence.—
Jeronimo Gonzalez,
semafor.com,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Except for a few children kicking a ball and some chickens pecking the ground, the village seemed almost deserted.—
Daniel Gonzalez,
AZCentral.com,
5 Nov. 2025
-
After Ohtani faltered, the game was the Blue Jays’ to lose, but the Dodgers kept pecking away.—
Barry M. Bloom,
Sportico.com,
2 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
While about 10% of adults worldwide report bloating, fatigue or gut pain after eating foods containing gluten, only 16% to 30% of those cases show true gluten-specific reactions, the paper found.—
Deirdre Bardolf,
FOXNews.com,
8 Nov. 2025
-
While that helps some of us love and others loathe tastes like super-dark chocolate or black coffee, the evolutionary purpose of these receptors is to keep us from eating things that could harm or kill us.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
8 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Nibbling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nibbling. Accessed 15 Nov. 2025.
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