Gnaw (Verb)
Meaning 1
Become ground down or deteriorate; "Her confidence eroded".
Classification
Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc..
Examples
- The constant stress began to gnaw away at her resolve.
- His fragile ego was slowly starting to gnaw at itself under the pressure.
- The nagging feeling of guilt continued to gnaw at her conscience.
- As time passed, his motivation started to gnaw away, replaced by skepticism.
- Her patience was starting to gnaw away as she waited in line for hours.
Synonyms
Hypernyms
Meaning 2
Bite or chew on with the teeth; "gnaw an old cracker".
Classification
Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging.
Examples
- The mouse's constant need to gnaw and chew on objects was driving its owner crazy.
- Rats have a tendency to gnaw through wires and insulated materials, so precautions are necessary.
- Mice and rats gnaw to maintain their constantly growing front teeth, which grow at an estimated one-sixteenth inch per week.
- She gnawed her fingernails anxiously as she waited for the news.
- A squirrel tends to gnaw holes in wood to stash seeds.