gnaw at

phrasal verb

gnawed at; gnawing at; gnaws at
: to be a source of worry or concern to (someone)
This problem has been gnawing at me day and night.
She says she's fine, but I can see that something is gnawing at her.

Examples of gnaw at in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Putrid, grizzle-toothed — gnawing at everything and undermining or infesting homes. Matt Thompson, SPIN, 3 Feb. 2025 The rain will gnaw at the coating protecting the Mech. Gieson Cacho, The Mercury News, 30 Jan. 2025 Prosecutor Nathaniel Stumme, who worked on the Duluth case, said the outcome still gnaws at him. Nick Penzenstadler, USA TODAY, 15 Dec. 2024 Thursday’s Mars-Uranus sextile is an opportunity period to get ahead of lingering, past-due tasks that are gnawing at your peace of mind. Colin Bedell, Them, 17 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for gnaw at 

Dictionary Entries Near gnaw at

Cite this Entry

“Gnaw at.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gnaw%20at. Accessed 16 Feb. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!