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
At some point, everyone faces upheaval; a layoff, a health scare, a collapsing industry, or simply the gnawing sense that the old way isn’t working anymore.
—
Mark Murphy, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
Those scissors are ready to slice and dice paper with ease and gnaw through heavier materials like twine.
—New Atlas, 2 Sep. 2025
Blooming weeds gnawing their way through paving cracks, slate roof tiles lacquered by rain, peeling front doors warped and faded by the sun to virtual driftwood: Jenkins’ camera treasures all the down-at-heel details of its locale, a fading, unnamed fishing village visited by few and left by many.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 31 Aug. 2025
Some might use it as a toy, gnawing and tearing it up, while others, like Potato, like to sleep with the clothing item.
—Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gnaw
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Mark Murphy, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
Those scissors are ready to slice and dice paper with ease and gnaw through heavier materials like twine.
—New Atlas, 2 Sep. 2025
Blooming weeds gnawing their way through paving cracks, slate roof tiles lacquered by rain, peeling front doors warped and faded by the sun to virtual driftwood: Jenkins’ camera treasures all the down-at-heel details of its locale, a fading, unnamed fishing village visited by few and left by many.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 31 Aug. 2025
Some might use it as a toy, gnawing and tearing it up, while others, like Potato, like to sleep with the clothing item.
—Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Aug. 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 20 Sep. 2025.
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