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.

Then the new guy, Ryan Ward, made the final out in his big league debut, robbed of a hit and a chance to keep chipping away by a diving Troy Johnston in right field.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 19, 2026

During the previous, uncrewed Artemis mission, the Orion craft’s heat shield didn’t perform as expected, with protective material on the device chipping off.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026

You also need to superproof your financial future before chipping away at funds that are, I hope, continuing to make money for you.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 6, 2026

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

From Salon • Mar. 13, 2026

Pictures of my father and me wading at low tide from rock to rock, chipping off oysters for our supper.

From "Homesick" by Jean Fritz