gnaws

verb

present tense third-person singular of gnaw
as in erodes
to consume or wear away gradually time has gnawed that author's reputation to the point where he rates little more than a footnote

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of gnaws If an owner reacts strongly every time the cat gnaws on a cord, the cat may learn that chewing gets a response. — Ryan Brennan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 July 2026 Kelsey passes around a bowl of clam shells with questions written on them as Liz gnaws on a corn on the cob. — Tom Smyth, Vulture, 15 June 2026 The end of his tenure with the Cubs gnaws it him. — Ken Rosenthal, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gnaws
  1. erodes
  2. eats
Verb
  • When haul trucks sit idle waiting to recharge, every minute of lost production directly erodes operating margins.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Infrastructure built over generations erodes when demand isn’t there to support it.
    — Catherine Salfino, Footwear News, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of erodes
Verb
  • In the opening scene, an old man eats a pear, smiles, and expires under a fruit tree; a beautiful death.
    — Sophie Pinkham, The New York Review of Books, 10 Oct. 2026
  • Pharyngeal plague attacks the throat after someone eats infected meat.
    — Jen Christensen, CNN Money, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of eats

Browse Nearby Words

gnaw (on)
gnaws
gnaws (at)
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Cite this Entry

“Gnaws.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gnaws. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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