chewy

American  

[choo-ee] / ˈtʃu i /

adjective

chewier, chewiest

1. (of food) not easily chewed, as because of toughness or stickiness; requiring much chewing.

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chewy British  

/ ˈtʃuːɪ /

adjective

1. of a consistency requiring chewing; somewhat firm and sticky

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Other Word Forms

• chewiness
  noun

Etymology

Origin of chewy

First recorded in 1920–25; chew + -y ¹

Explanation

Chewy things have a springy quality when you grind them between your teeth. When you get braces, you have to avoid chewy foods like hard bagels and sticky toffee. Chewy things really give your jaws a workout when you eat them. Foods as varied as pizza crusts, overcooked meat, and dried apricots all have one thing in common: You have to chew them well before swallowing, and there's a firmness or stickiness between your teeth as you eat. Chewy comes from chew and its Old English root, ceowan.

Example Sentences

It’s its own thing: chewy, crisp at the edges, and deeply satisfying in a “I can’t believe I just made a pizza” sort of way.

From Salon • Apr. 28, 2026

Greasy, salty, chewy and—as Richard Wilbur wrote of the potato—“beautiful only to hunger,” they simply taste good.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 27, 2026

The Taiwanese beverage, which blends black tea, milk, sugar, and chewy tapioca pearls, has spread worldwide since it first appeared in the 1980s.

From Science Daily • Mar. 1, 2026

To make them, cafes melt marshmallows to create a chewy outer layer mixed with chocolate, then fill individual portions with pistachio cream and kadaif before dusting the top with cocoa powder.

From Barron's • Jan. 20, 2026

It was savory rather than bland; it was chewy rather than soft.

From "Huntress" by Malinda Lo