chipping

VERB

knock a piece out of

Synonyms

STRONGEST

chop crack hack nick splinter whack

STRONG

break chisel clip crumble damage flake fragment gash hackle hew incise notch shape shear slash slice sliver snick snip split whittle

WEAK

crack off cut away cut off

Antonyms

STRONGEST

fix mend

STRONG

build combine increase join put together

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.

The agency has seen a decrease in funding since 2011, with inflation chipping away at a largely stagnant budget.

From Salon • Mar. 13, 2026

KHARKIV, Ukraine—A Ukrainian counterattack in the country’s southeast is chipping away at Russian advances there and demonstrating that Kyiv’s forces have got plenty of fight left as Moscow’s invasion stretches into a fifth year.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 24, 2026

The French striker took advantage of St. Clair’s poor clearance by chipping the ball over the goalkeeper’s head to take a 2-0 lead.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 22, 2026

"Kept chipping away. Got some stops, made some shots and there it is."

From Barron's • Feb. 22, 2026

She spent every morning weeding and watering the garden, and every afternoon chipping away at the mukwa trunk.

From "A Girl Named Disaster" by Nancy Farmer