gnawing
Americannoun
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the act of a person or thing that gnaws.
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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 that teaches another more cautionary lesson about collecting nemeses: Salieri never figured out how to channel his gnawing envy into motivation.
From Salon • May 16, 2026
Healthcare, housing, car payments, groceries and energy bills are the costs really gnawing at wallets, according to an analysis from the trade organization.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 19, 2026
Nothing prepared me for the gnawing unease of pivoting from saving to spending.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 12, 2026
Or that night we stumbled onto a giant controlled burn and saw the flames reach up and tickle the moon and recognized the gnawing feeling that fire is something we can only feign to control.
From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 5, 2026
Looking out the window, I see a squirrel sitting on a branch gnawing away at some kind of nut.
From "Popcorn" by Rob Harrell
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.
