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to nibble

to nibble

56 2.0
To eat small, gentle bites slowly or a little at a time
  • verb
  • /ˈnɪbəl/
translation icon : mordisquear
  • l've brought you a little something to nibble on as well .
  • nibble away
  • nibble at the edges

Don't move or they'll nibble your hydrangeas.

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Examples

  • "Been stealing food?" Sol asked, picking up a piece and nibbling on it.

    Fiction book (1993)
  • Have you got anything else that I can nibble on?

  • OK, I'm just going to nibble away at these sides.

  • "Mrs. Thomas brought me tea and toast; perhaps I'll be able to nibble a little later on.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • It's like giving them a little morsel for them to nibble on.

  • And she always comes up and tries to nibble my fins.

  • Watching the cute little birds nibbling seed from the bird feeder in the kitchen window.

    Fiction book (1994)
  • The girls had settled down now to sip tea, nibble on little iced cakes, and talk about the Meschianza.

    Fiction book (1994)
  • While watching the movie, I like to nibble on popcorn.

  • She took a moment to nibble on a chocolate chip cookie during the meeting.

Synonyms

to eat
vsto nibble
1.0

Put food or drink into your mouth, chew it and swallow it

is a specific light repeated mouth action, not general consumption
to pick
vsto nibble
116 3.6

To eat small amounts and not finish a meal

is about gentle repeated small bites rather than overall quantity
to take a bite
vsto nibble
49 1.4

To eat a small piece of food or reduce something a little

is about repeated gentle bites rather than a single small taste
to gnaw
vsto nibble
30 3.2

Bite or chew something again and again to make it smaller

is gentler and does not use strong biting pressure
to grab a bite
vsto nibble
  • Informal
30 2.9

Eat a quick meal when you are busy or in a hurry

is slower and more delicate, not a hurried small meal
to snack
vsto nibble
27 1.0

To eat a small amount of food between meals

is focused on the small repeated bites, not meal timing
to have a bite
vsto nibble
17 1.8

Eat a small amount of food as a quick snack

is about repeated tiny bites rather than a single small snack
to snack on
vsto nibble
10 2.5

To eat small amounts of food between meals

is about nibbling action in the moment rather than timing
to peck
vsto nibble
9 3.4

To eat small, quick bites like a bird

is slower and gentler rather than quick, sharp pecks
to graze
vsto nibble
5 3.8

Eat small amounts of food during the day instead of a full meal

is a short, gentle biting action rather than continuous grazing
to nip at
vsto nibble
4 6.1

To bite or pinch something lightly, often in a playful way

is specifically about eating gently rather than playful touching
to nosh
vsto nibble
  • Informal
4 8.2

To eat a small snack between meals

is about delicate repeated biting rather than a light meal event
to piece
vsto nibble
3 9.9

To eat small amounts at different times

is gentler and more continuous than intermittent small mouthfuls
to masticate
vsto nibble
2 7.9

To chew food by biting and grinding it with the teeth

is light and brief rather than thorough and deliberate chewing
to peck at
vsto nibble
1 4.7

To eat only a little food and not show interest

is neutral and gentle rather than reluctant or uninterested eating
to pick at
vsto nibble
1 4.2

Do something slowly and without interest, often doing only small parts

is lighter and neutral rather than slow and unwilling
to browse
vsto nibble
1 3.9

To eat small amounts of different foods instead of a full meal

is focused on repeated tiny bites rather than varied sampling
to gribble
vsto nibble
9.9

To chew something slowly and repeatedly with small bites

is a softer, less forceful repeated mouth action
to manducate
vsto nibble
  • Formal
9.9

To chew food with the teeth

is the everyday, gentle mouth action rather than technical chewing

Antonyms

16 2.6

To eat food quickly and noisily without chewing properly

to wolf down
  • Informal
7 5.8

Eat food very quickly when you are very hungry

Idioms

A small bite of food

How Forceful

to chomp
31 4.0
to bite
768 1.0
to nibble
56 2.0
to lick
310 1.0

Surface Forms

nibble infinitive
nibbled past
nibbled past participle
nibbling present participle
nibbles third person singular

Etymology

To nibble means to eat or bite in small, gentle bites, like quietly 'nibbling' a snack during a meeting. That idea of small, repeated bites is why we use nibble as a verb.