chew up
phrasal verb
chewed up; chewing up; chews up
1
: to destroy (something) by chewing it
My new puppy chewed up my shoes.
2
informal
: to destroy or defeat (someone or something)
The truck chewed up the grass.
They chewed the competition up.
Examples of chew up in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Mice contaminate food, chew up everything in sight, and spread illnesses through their urine, saliva, and droppings, says Sheldon Owen, a wildlife extension specialist at West Virginia University.
—
Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 26 Oct. 2024
As played, respectively, by Stephen Graham and Kathy Burke — two of Britain’s very best character actors, even if Burke rarely works onscreen these days — the pair chew up and spit out the scenery with relish.
—Leslie Felperin, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
The Chargers get a field goal and chew up nearly 10 minutes of clock.
—Matt Schubert, The Denver Post, 13 Oct. 2024
Rookie halfback Bucky Irving has worked his way into the Bucs’ game plan, and the offense chewed up Philadelphia with 445 yards in a 33-16 victory last week after beating Super Bowl contender Detroit two weeks before.
—Jack Magruder, Forbes, 3 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for chew up 
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.
Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 26 Oct. 2024
As played, respectively, by Stephen Graham and Kathy Burke — two of Britain’s very best character actors, even if Burke rarely works onscreen these days — the pair chew up and spit out the scenery with relish.
—Leslie Felperin, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
The Chargers get a field goal and chew up nearly 10 minutes of clock.
—Matt Schubert, The Denver Post, 13 Oct. 2024
Rookie halfback Bucky Irving has worked his way into the Bucs’ game plan, and the offense chewed up Philadelphia with 445 yards in a 33-16 victory last week after beating Super Bowl contender Detroit two weeks before.
—Jack Magruder, Forbes, 3 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for chew up
Dictionary Entries Near chew up
Cite this Entry
“Chew up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chew%20up. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share