CHIP AWAY AT

Pronunciation (US): (GB):

Meaning:

Remove or withdraw gradually:

Example:

These new customs are chipping away at the quality of life

Synonyms:

chip away; chip away at

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "chip away at" is one way to...):

remove; take; take away; withdraw (remove something concrete, as by lifting, pushing, or taking off, or remove something abstract)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something