- present participle of gnaw.
gnawing
Americannoun
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the act of a person or thing that gnaws.
-
Usually gnawings. persistent, dull pains; pangs.
the gnawings of hunger.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of gnawing
Middle English word dating back to 1300–50; see origin at gnaw, -ing 1
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
But now it seems that a very contemporary and more personal issue could be gnawing at Timesfolk and driving them to the brink of paranoia.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 27, 2026
Citrus greening disease is caused by a bacterial infection that is delivered by the gnawing of the Asian citrus psyllid.
From Slate • Apr. 20, 2026
Stomach gnawing and hands slightly shaky, I loaded up on ephemera for fancy paninis, held together with swipes of giardiniera mayo, and splurged on some pastel-hued botanical sodas for drinking straight from the can.
From Salon • Jan. 1, 2026
The road not taken is gnawing at her soul.
From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 12, 2025
Sherlock is out in the yard with us, gnawing on a stick.
From "The Running Dream" by Wendelin Van Draanen
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
