gnaw
Bite and scrape
To gnaw is to bite or chew persistently, usually with small, repeated motions: The dog gnawed on a bone, Mice had gnawed through the wires.
Figuratively, something that gnaws at you causes persistent distress or unease: Guilt gnawed at her conscience, a gnawing sense of dread.
The physical and psychological senses share the idea of slow, relentless wearing away.
Enamel-covered chewing structures
- bitePierce with teeth
- nibbleSmall, tentative bite
- chompLoud, vigorous mouthwork
- gnashGrind teeth together
crunch · munch · masticate · grind · jaw · incisors · molars · canine
Carry on person
- erodeDiminish through persistent friction
- deteriorateGrow worse over time
- corrodeDestroy through chemical action
- abradeErode through friction
weather · degrade · crumble · undermine · sap · pit · fret · eat away
teeth
Enamel-covered chewing structures
gnash · crunch · munch · masticate · grind · jaw · incisors · molars · canine · fang
wear
Carry on person
- erodeDiminish through persistent friction
- deteriorateGrow worse over time
- corrodeDestroy through chemical action
abrade · weather · degrade · crumble · undermine · sap · pit · fret · eat away · dissolve
nagging
Persistent bothering or complaining
- persistentContinuing despite difficulty
- worryTroubled mental state
- dreadIntense anticipatory fear
unease · torment · obsess · ruminate · fret · anguish · restless · disquiet · foreboding · doubt
starving
Suffering extreme hunger
appetite · craving · pangs · fasting · emptiness · rumbling · ache · pang · longing · yearning
gnawrestore
Return to earlier state
repair · rebuild · regenerate · renew · revitalize
- gnawing painPersistent, grinding discomfort
- gnawing hungerIntense, persistent need to eat
- gnaw marksIndentations from chewing
- gnaw at