gnawed; gnawing; gnaws
1
a
: to bite or chew on with the teeth
especially
: to wear away by persistent biting or nibbling
a dog gnawing a bone
b
: to make by gnawing
rats gnawed a hole
2
a
: to be a source of vexation to : plague
anxiety always gnawing him
b
: to affect like gnawing
hunger gnawing her vitals
1
: to bite or nibble persistently
gnawing at his underlip
2
: to produce an effect of or as if of gnawing
waves gnawing away at the cliffs
Examples of gnaw in a Sentence
The dog was gnawing a bone.
He nervously gnawed on his fingernails.
Rabbits have gnawed at the hedge.
Rabbits had gnawed a hole in the hedge.
Recent Examples on the Web
The Army’s latest estimate for its major parade to celebrate its 250th anniversary – which falls on President Donald Trump’s birthday – totals $40 million, including the cost of repairing streets in Washington, DC expected to be gnawed by tank treads.
—
Tom Vanden Brook, USA Today, 3 June 2025
The shark gnawed on his surfboard, but Heller was unharmed.
—Joe Edwards, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 June 2025
The four-walled hideaway sets up quickly to help campers escape the bloodthirsty swarm of mosquitoes, biting midges and other gnawing pests that can be an inevitable part of an outdoor stay.
—New Atlas, 30 May 2025
Much of this decision came down to a gnawing confusion over my own responsibility.
—Frances Dodds Samantha Desz Krish Seenivasan Joel Thibodeau, New York Times, 18 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for gnaw
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Tom Vanden Brook, USA Today, 3 June 2025
The shark gnawed on his surfboard, but Heller was unharmed.
—Joe Edwards, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 June 2025
The four-walled hideaway sets up quickly to help campers escape the bloodthirsty swarm of mosquitoes, biting midges and other gnawing pests that can be an inevitable part of an outdoor stay.
—New Atlas, 30 May 2025
Much of this decision came down to a gnawing confusion over my own responsibility.
—Frances Dodds Samantha Desz Krish Seenivasan Joel Thibodeau, New York Times, 18 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for gnaw
Cite this Entry
“Gnaw.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gnaw. Accessed 13 Jun. 2025.
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