Definition

Verb (phrasal verb): * To cause persistent worry, distress, or guilt; to gnaw at or erode something (often abstract): "Eat at" describes the action of something, typically a negative thought, feeling, or situation, gradually and persistently troubling a person or diminishing a quality like confidence or peace of mind.

Usage and Examples

• Usage: This phrasal verb is transitive and inseparable. It is followed by a direct object (the person or thing being troubled). It is used to describe a slow, internal process of worry or corrosion, not a sudden event.
• Examples:
  • The guilt over his mistake began to eat at him. (The feeling of guilt persistently troubled him.)
  • Her constant criticism is eating at my self-esteem. (Her criticism is gradually eroding my self-esteem.)
  • The thought of the unpaid bills was eating at her all week. (The worry about the bills was a constant source of distress for her.)

Advanced Usage

• "Eat away at": This is a common variant with a very similar meaning, often emphasizing a more active or destructive process of erosion.
  • The rust was eating away at the old car's frame. (The rust was actively corroding the metal.)
  • Doubt can eat away at even the strongest relationships. (Doubt can gradually destroy relationships.)

Variants and Related Words

• Erode (verb): To gradually wear away or destroy. This is a close synonym, often used in both physical ("The cliff eroded") and abstract ("Her confidence eroded") contexts.
• Gnaw at (verb phrase): To cause persistent anxiety or distress, very similar in meaning and usage to "eat at."
• Prey on one's mind (idiom): To be a source of constant worry.

Synonyms

• Trouble
• Disturb
• Torment
• Plague
• Wear down

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Eat into: To use up a part of something, especially time or money.
  • The car repairs ate into our savings. (The repairs used up a portion of our savings.)

Related Idioms

• Eat your heart out: An expression of triumph or mockery, meaning to be envious.
  • I got the promotion—eat your heart out! (Be envious of my success!)
• Eat someone alive: To criticize or defeat someone severely.
  • The critics will eat him alive for that performance. (The critics will harshly criticize him.)

Verb

1. become ground down or deteriorate
   • Her confidence eroded