NIBBLED Synonyms: 64 Similar and Opposite Words

nibbled

verb

past tense of nibble

as in pecked

to eat reluctantly and in small bites having no real appetite at all, I just nibbled during the party

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as in chewed

to crush or grind with the teeth nibbling crackers

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as in eroded

to consume or wear away gradually discovered that inflation had steadily nibbled their savings

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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.

Recent Examples of nibbled Kikuko, her appetite sluggish, nibbled the bread bit by bit from the edges, all the while furtively watching her father. — Cynthia Zarin, Harpers Magazine, 4 Aug. 2026 Threatened by the lack of water and nibbled by starving livestock, the trees that once formed a dense forest in the Somali region of Ethiopia are in danger, locals say. — ABC News, 10 Apr. 2026 For years, not having enough money nibbled at my aunt’s health. — Jenisha Watts, The Atlantic, 2 Mar. 2026 That led to a viral moment in a Lions’ Thanksgiving Day game when his teammates were shown chowing down on the turkey provided by Fox, while Montgomery nibbled on a carrot. — Matt Young, Houston Chronicle, 2 Mar. 2026 What Wear's cocktail reception at Kabawa brought together names like Lana Condor, Tefi Pessoa and Jessel Taank, who joined in the festivities as guests nibbled on oysters and mini beef patties (with goody bags presented by Maison BCBG on the way out the door). — Anika Reed, USA Today, 18 Feb. 2026 Orange-and-white clown fish peered from rust-red anemones; neon-green parrotfish nibbled at bubblegum-pink brain coral. — Susan Casey, Travel + Leisure, 10 Jan. 2026 The two leopards chased each other through the leaves and even nibbled on a few. — Craig Shoup, Nashville Tennessean, 3 Nov. 2025 With the Miami waterfront as its backdrop, music filled the venue as industry leaders networked, nibbled on appetizers, and posed for photos in front of a flower wall provided by Johnnie Walker. — James Dinh, Billboard, 29 Oct. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for nibbled

Verb

Pelicans swooped overhead and night herons, with spiky yellow feathers flying from their heads, goofily pecked the grass for insects.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 June 2026
As Cadeau pecked his way through the blue-and-maize confetti littering the court, Justin did a quick change.

— Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 7 Apr. 2026

Definition of pecked

Verb

Chunks of concrete were flung into a nesting and migration site important to some endangered species and a fire chewed through around 4 acres of Boca Chica State Park Land south of the Texas launchpad.

— Lora Kolodny, CNBC, 25 Aug. 2026
That is to say nothing of periodic smaller disasters, such as last year's Texas floods that engulfed young campers; the Los Angeles wildfires that chewed through entire neighborhoods; and Typhoon Kalmaegi, which walloped Vietnam and the Philippines.

— ABC News, ABC News, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of chewed

Verb

The new king must steady royal fortunes amid damaging scrutiny of Queen Mette-Marit’s past ties to Jeffrey Epstein and stepson Marius Høiby’s rape conviction, which has eroded public support for the monarchy.

— Jan M. Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026
If investors intended to have a 10% to 20% allocation to international as part of their strategic long-term planning, that could have eroded to as little as 2% to 5% given the extent of the bull market in the S&P 500 in recent years.

— Eric Rosenbaum, CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of eroded

Browse Nearby Words

nibble

nibbled

nibbled (on)

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“Nibbled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nibbled. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of nibbled

verb

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