chip away at

VERB

try

Synonyms

STRONGEST

attack seek struggle work

STRONG

aim aspire compete contend contest endeavor essay labor propose risk speculate strive tackle undertake venture wrangle

WEAK

bear down do one's best drive for exert oneself go after go all out go for have a crack have a go have a shot have a stab have a whack knock oneself out lift a finger make a bid make a pass at make an attempt make an effort put oneself out shoot for vie for

Antonyms

STRONGEST

idle laze rest surrender

STRONG

abstain agree be idle forget give in give up ignore neglect

WEAK

delight please

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Higher borrowing costs tend to hurt tech stocks because they make yield-bearing investments like bonds more attractive and chip away at future cash flows.

From Barron's • Jun. 23, 2026

Over time, it may even chip away at your peace of mind.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 8, 2026

Firefighters were eventually forced to melt it down after fans attempted to thaw the sculpture with blowtorches and chip away at it with sledgehammers.

From BBC • May 15, 2026

Mamdani first proposed raising property taxes by 9.5% in February in what he called a “last-resort” measure to chip away at the city’s estimated $12 billion budget gap.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 12, 2026

If one of those fit, Elizebeth could use it to chip away at the rest of the puzzle.

From "The Woman All Spies Fear" by Amy Butler Greenfield

chip away at

Example Sentences

Related Words