Phrasal verb
gnaw away at
Definition
phrasal verb. to slowly and steadily destroy something or make someone feel worried over a long time.
phrasal verb. to erode or consume something gradually; figuratively, to cause persistent distress or anxiety that slowly undermines one's confidence or peace of mind.
Examples
“Guilt began to gnaw away at him after the lie.”
“The constant criticism from his boss started to gnaw away at his self-esteem until he finally quit.”
“Rising inflation and stagnant wages continue to gnaw away at the purchasing power of middle-class families across the country.”
Examples
simple
“Guilt began to gnaw away at him after the lie.”
contextual
“The constant criticism from his boss started to gnaw away at his self-esteem until he finally quit.”
complex
“Rising inflation and stagnant wages continue to gnaw away at the purchasing power of middle-class families across the country.”
Usage
usually followed by an abstract noun like 'confidence', 'guilt', or 'profits'.
Teaching tip
connect the figurative meaning to the literal image of a rodent chewing on wood to help students visualize the slow, persistent nature of the destruction.
Pitfall
The doubt gnawed away him.
The doubt gnawed away at him.
the preposition 'at' is required to link the action to the object being affected.
Phrasal verb
Particles
away at
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
gnaw + away + at + object
Synonyms
Antonyms
Grammar
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/gnaw-away-at