as in to erode
to consume or wear away gradually
time has gnawed that author's reputation to the point where he rates little more than a footnote
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Recent Examples of gnaw
The misery of last year appeared to gnaw away at Hamilton’s enjoyment of the sport.
—
Luke Smith, New York Times, 10 Mar. 2026
Logan Kilgore, in Aplin’s mind, was gnawing on a bad idea.
—Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 6 Mar. 2026
Wild animals had gnawed through the pressurized canisters, releasing the chemicals inside.
—Rachel Becker, Los Angeles Times, 12 Feb. 2026
Mice can and will gnaw through most softer materials.
—Michelle Mastro, Martha Stewart, 7 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for gnaw
Luke Smith, New York Times, 10 Mar. 2026
Logan Kilgore, in Aplin’s mind, was gnawing on a bad idea.
—Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 6 Mar. 2026
Wild animals had gnawed through the pressurized canisters, releasing the chemicals inside.
—Rachel Becker, Los Angeles Times, 12 Feb. 2026
Mice can and will gnaw through most softer materials.
—Michelle Mastro, Martha Stewart, 7 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for gnaw
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gnaw
Verb
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That vision of worldwide economic and cultural interdependence that enabled the proliferation of biennials in the ’90s has been steadily eroding amid the recent rise in nativism and far-right movements in the United States and Europe.—
Smooth Nzewi,
Artforum,
2 Apr. 2026
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Over time, this can concentrate gains and strain the labor tax base, eroding the revenue streams that underpin the broader economy—funding health care, retirement benefits and basic economic security.—
Ravi Kumar S,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Around 3-4 hours before exercise, a young athlete should eat a meal of mostly carbohydrates with a moderate amount of protein such as rice with chicken and vegetables.—
Dr. Sarah Kinsella,
Boston Herald,
5 Apr. 2026
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Someone with an egg allergy eating the rolls could suffer anything from discomfort to death, depending on the severity of the allergy.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
5 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gnaw.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gnaw. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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