Phrasal verb
chip away at
Definition
phrasal verb. to gradually make something weaker, smaller, or less effective by taking away little pieces of it over time.
phrasal verb. to gradually reduce the size, value, or effectiveness of something through persistent, incremental actions.
Examples
“They are trying to chip away at the total cost.”
“The new competitor is slowly chipping away at our market share by offering lower prices.”
“Years of constant criticism began to chip away at her confidence, eventually leading her to resign from the high-pressure position.”
Examples
simple
“They are trying to chip away at the total cost.”
contextual
“The new competitor is slowly chipping away at our market share by offering lower prices.”
complex
“Years of constant criticism began to chip away at her confidence, eventually leading her to resign from the high-pressure position.”
Usage
usually followed by an abstract noun like power, confidence, debt, or a large task.
Teaching tip
use the physical image of a sculptor using a chisel to help students visualize how small, repeated actions eventually change a large object.
Pitfall
He chipped away the problem.
He chipped away at the problem.
the preposition 'at' is necessary to show that the action is directed toward the object without completing it immediately.
Phrasal verb
Particles
away at
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
chip + away + at + object
Synonyms
Antonyms
Grammar
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/chip-away-at