chew

1 of 2

verb

chewed; chewing; chews

transitive verb

1
: to crush, grind, or gnaw (something, such as food) with or as if with the teeth : masticate
2
: to injure, destroy, or consume as if by chewing
usually used with up
chewing up profits

intransitive verb

: to chew something
specifically : to chew tobacco
chewable adjective
chewer noun
chewy adjective

chew

2 of 2

noun

1
: the act of chewing
2
: something for chewing
Phrases
chew on
: to think about : ponder
chewing on the new developments
chew the fat or less commonly chew the rag
: to make friendly familiar conversation : chat

Examples of chew in a Sentence

Verb We were taught to chew our food thoroughly before swallowing. He chews with his mouth open. You're not allowed to chew gum in class. A mouse chewed through the cord. The dog chewed a hole in the rug.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Verb
The slender piece of wood can serve as a useful tool—especially for puppies, who often chew on objects like sticks to soothe discomfort while teething, much like teething children are given hard objects to chew. Tom Rogers, Newsweek, 21 Feb. 2025 There’s lots to chew on here and (dog food notwithstanding) this is arguably quite a meaty area of practical AI application to get stuck into. Adrian Bridgwater, Forbes, 19 Feb. 2025
Noun
The amount of ginger in ginger chews and hard candies can vary. Lauren O'Connor, Ms, Health, 10 Feb. 2025 There, prior excavations revealed six individuals whose bones had been dismembered and butchered, including potential human chew marks on hand, foot and rib bones. Ashley Strickland, CNN, 16 Dec. 2024 See All Example Sentences for chew

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, from Old English cēowan; akin to Old High German kiuwan to chew, Russian zhevat'

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of chew was before the 12th century

Browse Nearby Entries

Cite this Entry

“Chew.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chew. Accessed 27 Feb. 2025.

Kids Definition

chew

1 of 2 verb
: to crush or grind with the teeth
chewable adjective
chewer noun
chewy adjective

chew

2 of 2 noun
1
: the act of chewing
2
: something for chewing
a chew of tobacco

More from Merriam-Webster on chew

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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