gnawed (at or on)

verb

past tense of gnaw (at or on)
as in picked (at)

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for gnawed (at or on)
  1. chewed
  2. licked
Verb
  • Avoid giving younger children hard candies such as Jolly Ranchers or other kinds that can’t be chewed easily.
    — Lina Ruiz October 9, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Beside a fallen tree, McCormack points out how a beaver chewed more deeply into one side of the trunk, bringing it down into the water.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of chewed
Verb
  • Tuxedo kitten Paolina bounced onto my chest and licked my fingers.
    — Solvej Schou, Los Angeles Times, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Her entire face got licked clean off her head when suburban floodwaters breached the cardboard hull protecting Kath’s basement memorabilia stack a few months before I was born.
    — Claire Carusillo, Harpers Magazine, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of licked
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.

Browse Nearby Words

gnawed (at)
gnawed (at or on)
gnawed (on)
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Cite this Entry

“Gnawed (at or on).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gnawed%20%28at%20or%20on%29. Accessed 13 Oct. 2026.

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