The meaning of GNAW is to bite or chew on with the teeth; especially : to wear away by persistent biting or nibbling. How to use gnaw in a sentence.

GNAW definition: 1. to bite or chew something repeatedly, usually making a hole in it or gradually destroying it…. Learn more.

Definition of gnaw verb in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.

To gnaw is to bite or chew. Your favorite food might be corn on the cob, because you love to gnaw along each row of kernels. To gnaw also means to deteriorate or wear away as if by …

1. to bite or chew on, esp. persistently: The kitten gnawed the slippers. 2. to wear away or remove by persistent biting. 3. to form by gnawing: to gnaw a hole. 4. to waste or wear away. 5. to trouble or torment by constant annoyance; vex; plague. 6. …

GNAW definition: to bite (at) or chew (upon) constantly so as to wear away little by little | Meaning, pronunciation, translations and examples

Synonyms for GNAW: erode, eat, corrode, bite (at), destroy, nibble, fret, decompose; Antonyms of GNAW: restore, renew, revive, refresh, regenerate, freshen, revitalize, recreate

to wear away or remove by persistent biting or nibbling. to gnaw a hole through the wall. to waste or wear away; corrode; erode. to trouble or torment by constant annoyance, worry, etc.; vex; …

Mar 5, 2025 · gnaw (third-person singular simple present gnaws, present participle gnawing, simple past gnawed or (dialectal) gnew, past participle gnawed or (archaic) gnawn) ( ambitransitive ) To bite something persistently, especially something tough.

What does the verb gnaw mean? There are six meanings listed in OED's entry for the verb gnaw . See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.