gnaw at
phrasal verb
gnawed at; gnawing at; gnaws at
: to be a source of worry or concern to (someone)
This problem has been gnawing at me day and night.
She says she's fine, but I can see that something is gnawing at her.
Examples of gnaw at in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
However, an existing horror script of theirs called Bring Her Back soon began to gnaw at them.
—
Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 27 May 2025
As happy as Edwards is to be advancing, something is gnawing at him.
—Jon Krawczynski, New York Times, 15 May 2025
This is doubly true of the ending, which brings to the fore undeniable symmetry, but also a consideration that kept gnawing at me throughout the film: why is cinema so keen on exploring female sexuality primarily through abjection?
—Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 25 Apr. 2025
Thankfully, Cronenberg is less interested in taking potshots at his vapid characters (played by the game likes of Julianne Moore, John Cusack, and Evan Bird channeling Shia LaBeouf) than in unearthing the sadness and madness that gnaws at their superficial dreams.
—A.a. Dowd, Vulture, 28 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gnaw at
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.
Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 27 May 2025
As happy as Edwards is to be advancing, something is gnawing at him.
—Jon Krawczynski, New York Times, 15 May 2025
This is doubly true of the ending, which brings to the fore undeniable symmetry, but also a consideration that kept gnawing at me throughout the film: why is cinema so keen on exploring female sexuality primarily through abjection?
—Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 25 Apr. 2025
Thankfully, Cronenberg is less interested in taking potshots at his vapid characters (played by the game likes of Julianne Moore, John Cusack, and Evan Bird channeling Shia LaBeouf) than in unearthing the sadness and madness that gnaws at their superficial dreams.
—A.a. Dowd, Vulture, 28 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gnaw at
Cite this Entry
“Gnaw at.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gnaw%20at. Accessed 3 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share