chewed; chewing; chews
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
: to chew something
specifically
: to chew tobacco
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
Sarah Zhang, The Atlantic, 27 May 2025
Even my mousetraps had been chewed and a box of .22 ammunition crushed.
—Ted Updike, Outdoor Life, 22 May 2025
Cathy Thomas, Oc Register, 28 May 2025
Researchers also measured participants’ meal duration, number of bites, number of chews, and chewing speed for each test.1
The results showed fairly stark differences across men and women in the study:1
Number of bites.
—Brian Mastroianni, Health, 23 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for chew
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Verb
Larvae of the parasitic fly chew through flesh, transforming small nicks into big, gruesome wounds.
—Sarah Zhang, The Atlantic, 27 May 2025
Even my mousetraps had been chewed and a box of .22 ammunition crushed.
—Ted Updike, Outdoor Life, 22 May 2025
Noun
The inky nectar is a seductive blend of deep sweet-tart flavors, the flesh that encases it a counterpoint of chew.
—Cathy Thomas, Oc Register, 28 May 2025
Researchers also measured participants’ meal duration, number of bites, number of chews, and chewing speed for each test.1
The results showed fairly stark differences across men and women in the study:1
Number of bites.
—Brian Mastroianni, Health, 23 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for chew
Cite this Entry
“Chew.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chew. Accessed 3 Jun. 2025.
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