chew
verb (used with object)
to crush or grind with the teeth; masticate.
was chewing
-
past progressiveof chew.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
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.
One parent said her son worked better when he was chewing gum.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 16, 2026
With an aristocratic divorce heating one of that show’s third-season subplots, Fellowes was chewing on something.
From Salon ● Sep. 14, 2025
Ms. Cozzi realized while eating that “she was chewing on a portion of a human finger that had been mixed into, and made a part of, the salad,” the lawsuit reads.
From Washington Times ● Nov. 28, 2023
She pops the top of her mouth as if she was chewing gum and takes a different route.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 19, 2023
“No, it was in our closet. Poppy was chewing on it, that’s why it’s torn up. But look at the writing on it. Isn’t it strange?”
From "The City of Ember" by Jeanne DuPrau
