Chip away

Phrasal Verbs | C1

Listening exercises with “Chip away”

To “chip away at something” means to slowly work on a big task or problem, doing a little bit at a time.

The literal/original meaning of this expression is to describe the gradual creation of a sculpture from a large block of stone, piece by piece.

We use this phrasal verb to talk about making slow but steady progress on something difficult or time-consuming.

e.g. She’s been chipping away at her thesis for months, writing a little each day.

This phrasal verb often communicates the idea of patience and persistence, and of gradually working towards a long term goal.

However, chipping away at something can sometimes be used more negatively, to describe something being gradually destroyed, damaged, or reduced.

e.g. These energy bills are really chipping away at our savings.

Here are some examples of this phrasal verb in context: