How to pronounce "gnaws" in English
nɔːz
NAWZ
Primary stress: NAWZ
Hear native speakers say gnaws in context across real video clips
Linguistic Pronunciation Masterclass: “gnaws”
Phonetic mechanics, syllable architecture, and conversational cadence
Syllable Architecture & Stress Distribution
NAWZ
Tense long vowel with sustained acoustic resonance.
As a single-syllable word, "gnaws" receives full primary stress when spoken in isolation, though it may take a reduced weak form in connected speech when acting as a function word.
Common Pronunciation Traps & Learner Mistakes
The Trap: The "g" combined with "n" in "gnaws" is unvoiced.
How Native Speakers Say It: Produce only the /n/ consonant sound. Pronouncing a hard /g/ is a telltale sign of non-native disfluency.
Connected Speech & Natural Conversational Flow
When "gnaws" is followed by a word starting with a vowel, glide the final consonant into the opening vowel (e.g. "gnaws is" sounds like "gnaws-iz").
In natural sentences, avoid over-stressing "gnaws" unless it conveys the core contrast or focal point of your message.
Authentic Spoken Quotes from Native Video Context
“And that's exactly why this question gnaws at me.”— TEDx TalksWatch clip
“never free from war and of those who one wall and mote shut in one gnaws at the other."”— YaleCoursesWatch clip
“gnaws at its base it will be Grim unwielding Bleak but I don't want it to”— Harvard UniversityWatch clip
“This adorable rodent, though, adds more to its diet: it also gnaws on roots.”— SciShowWatch clip
“leg aches and gnaws for some other reason you say wait a minute that arousal plus a subjective feeling I'm having I used to have it here where it”— MIT OpenCourseWareWatch clip
“Our daughter in her rear-facing car seat gnaws on the legs of a rubber giraffe.”— Native SpeakerWatch clip
Practice Speaking “gnaws”
Listen to native pronunciation, record yourself repeating the sentence into your microphone, and receive real-time word-by-word accuracy scoring.
And that's exactly why this question gnaws at me.
Hear it in context: “gnaws”
23 clipsThe English word “gnaws” is transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) as nɔːz (phonetic respelling: NAWZ). Phonologically, it consists of 1 syllable (NAWZ), pronounced as a single stressed monosyllable. Grammatically, “gnaws” functions as a verb, noun and acts as an English heteronym where syllable stress shifts between noun (initial-syllable stress) and verb (second-syllable stress) usage. SayItVid indexes 23 authentic English video clips demonstrating how native speakers articulate “gnaws” in natural connected speech across American (US: 8 sampled), British (UK), and Australian (AUS) accents, including verified broadcasts from TEDx Talks, YaleCourses, Harvard University.
Spoken Video Transcripts & Contextual Quotes (5 Verified Clips)
- 🇺🇸 USTEDx TalksClip #1 · @0:43
“and experience, between dreaming and doing. There's so much I haven't seen, done, or understood yet. And that's exactly why this question gnaws at me. done, or understood yet. And that's”
- 🇺🇸 USYaleCoursesClip #2 · @27:54
“citizen, and now in thee thy living are never free from war and of those who one wall and mote shut in one gnaws at the other." one gnaws at the other."”
- 🇺🇸 USHarvard UniversityClip #3 · @73:34
“stained with fear submission or calculation I know an element of pain gnaws at its base it will be Grim unwielding Bleak but I don't want it to negate other hours or words one day uttered with a firm voice thoughts”
- 🇺🇸 USSciShowClip #4 · @3:00
“insects. This adorable rodent, though, adds more to its diet: it also gnaws on roots. Based on this rat’s genetic and physical similarity to its fellow rodents, mammalogists”
- 🇺🇸 USMIT OpenCourseWareClip #5 · @74:04
“examples of the same phenomen and so that's why it is later in life when your leg aches and gnaws for some other reason you say wait a minute that arousal plus a subjective feeling I'm having I used to have it here where it arousal plus a subjective feeling I'm having I used to have it here where it”
Definition & Meaning: “gnaws”
- To bite something persistently, especially something tough.
- To produce excessive anxiety or worry.
- The act of gnawing.
Example Sentences (3)
- “The dog gnawed the bone until it broke in two.”
- “Her comment gnawed at me all day and I couldn't think about anything else.”
- “doing. There's so much I haven't seen, done, or understood yet. And that's exactly why this question gnaws at me.”
Common Phrases & Collocations
Pronounce: “gnaws”
- Pronunciation:
- NAWZ
- Syllables:
- NAWZ
- Written Hyphenation:
- gnaws
- Primary stress:
- NAWZ
- IPA:
- nɔːz
- Hear it in context
- gnaws
Words that Rhyme with “gnaws”
-ɔzWords that Sound Identical (Homophones)
Unique Sound"gnaws" (⁄nɔːz⁄) has no true homophones in standard English — there are no other words with identical pronunciation. Unlike sound-alike pairs like there / their or peace / piece, "gnaws" has a completely distinct phonetic identity.
Frequently asked questions about gnaws
How do you pronounce “gnaws”?
“gnaws” is pronounced ⁄nɔːz⁄ (NAWZ). Listen to the native-speaker clips above to hear it in real conversation.
Where is the stress in “gnaws”?
The primary stress in “gnaws” is on “NAWZ”. Listen for that stressed syllable in the clips above.
What does “gnaws” mean?
To bite something persistently, especially something tough.
How can I hear “gnaws” used in real sentences?
This page has 23 real-world video examples of “gnaws” with synchronized subtitles. Use Previous / Next (or ← / → keys) to hear each one at the exact moment it is spoken.
What is the most common pronunciation mistake when saying “gnaws”?
The "g" combined with "n" in "gnaws" is unvoiced. Produce only the /n/ consonant sound. Pronouncing a hard /g/ is a telltale sign of non-native disfluency.