1
a
: a soft white, gray, or buff limestone composed chiefly of the shells of foraminifers
b
: a prepared form of chalk or a material resembling chalk especially when used (as for writing on blackboards) as a crayon
2
a
: a mark made with chalk
b
British
: a point scored in a game
chalked; chalking; chalks
1
: to write or draw with chalk
2
: to rub or mark with chalk
: to become chalky
the paint had begun to chalk
Examples of chalk in a Sentence
Noun
The teacher handed her a piece of chalk and asked her to write the answer on the chalkboard.
He put chalk marks on the stage to show the actors where they should stand.
They drew pictures on the sidewalk with colored chalks.
Verb
She chalked a message on the side of the barn.
He chalked the stage to show the actors where they should stand.
Recent Examples on the Web
Karl Schneider, The Indianapolis Star, 5 Apr. 2024
Most vineyards here grow on granite hillsides with soils composed of flint, chalk, and mica which impart bracing minerality to the wines.
—Mike Desimone and Jeff Jenssen, Robb Report, 21 Mar. 2024
Enthusiastic about the idea, the village youth built a blackboard and pooled money to buy chalk.
—Unicef Usa, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024
Also in the room is an old piano that Ashley recently gave a new look with chalk paint.
—Lennie Omalza, The Courier-Journal, 28 Mar. 2024
Kinda chalk picks, but the Dodgers are stacked and the Astros just have a knack for making a deep run year after year.
—Daniel Kohn, SPIN, 27 Mar. 2024
The set was easy to clean, even after messy activities like meals or chalk drawing.
—Samantha McIntyre, Parents, 9 Mar. 2024
Characters are pelted with chalk dust or soccer balls or sprayed with water to represent beatings or torture.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 25 Jan. 2024
They can be personalized and decorated using chalk.
—Sarah Lemire, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Jan. 2024
Missy Ryan, Washington Post, 19 Mar. 2024
While some observers of the monolith chalked it up as an elaborate prank, others found the extraterrestrial angle plausible.
—Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 18 Mar. 2024
Under the previous administration, the Sheriff’s Department chose not to criminally investigate Honea, instead giving him a 10-day suspension and chalking his misstatements up to sloppiness.
—Keri Blakinger, Los Angeles Times, 1 Mar. 2024
But his goal was also chalked off after Endo was judged to be offside by the video assistant referee (VAR) and was deemed to have blocked defender Levi Colwell from reaching Van Dijk.
—Issy Ronald, CNN, 25 Feb. 2024
It was chalked onto the road with an equal measure of defiance and desperation, warning European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen not to ignore farmers’ concerns for better prices and less bureaucracy.
—Raf Casert, The Christian Science Monitor, 1 Feb. 2024
But Kirkpatrick chalks all the UFO hoopla up to a top secret government program not to reverse-engineer alien ships, but to manufacture high-altitude metallic spy balloons.
—Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 23 Jan. 2024
In his minute entry, Adleman chalks Lake's attorneys' deadline misses up to appellate litigation.
—Sasha Hupka, The Arizona Republic, 28 Mar. 2024
Asked about the pick, Hovde campaign spokesman Ben Voelkel chalked it up to pragmatism.
—Jessie Opoien, Journal Sentinel, 21 Mar. 2024
Noun
Includes a craft creating eclipse artwork with chalk.
—Karl Schneider, The Indianapolis Star, 5 Apr. 2024
Most vineyards here grow on granite hillsides with soils composed of flint, chalk, and mica which impart bracing minerality to the wines.
—Mike Desimone and Jeff Jenssen, Robb Report, 21 Mar. 2024
Enthusiastic about the idea, the village youth built a blackboard and pooled money to buy chalk.
—Unicef Usa, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024
Also in the room is an old piano that Ashley recently gave a new look with chalk paint.
—Lennie Omalza, The Courier-Journal, 28 Mar. 2024
Kinda chalk picks, but the Dodgers are stacked and the Astros just have a knack for making a deep run year after year.
—Daniel Kohn, SPIN, 27 Mar. 2024
The set was easy to clean, even after messy activities like meals or chalk drawing.
—Samantha McIntyre, Parents, 9 Mar. 2024
Characters are pelted with chalk dust or soccer balls or sprayed with water to represent beatings or torture.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 25 Jan. 2024
They can be personalized and decorated using chalk.
—Sarah Lemire, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Jan. 2024
Verb
Some of those allies are likewise attempting to downplay the impact of uncertainty surrounding U.S. assistance, chalking the situation up to politics.
—Missy Ryan, Washington Post, 19 Mar. 2024
While some observers of the monolith chalked it up as an elaborate prank, others found the extraterrestrial angle plausible.
—Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 18 Mar. 2024
Under the previous administration, the Sheriff’s Department chose not to criminally investigate Honea, instead giving him a 10-day suspension and chalking his misstatements up to sloppiness.
—Keri Blakinger, Los Angeles Times, 1 Mar. 2024
But his goal was also chalked off after Endo was judged to be offside by the video assistant referee (VAR) and was deemed to have blocked defender Levi Colwell from reaching Van Dijk.
—Issy Ronald, CNN, 25 Feb. 2024
It was chalked onto the road with an equal measure of defiance and desperation, warning European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen not to ignore farmers’ concerns for better prices and less bureaucracy.
—Raf Casert, The Christian Science Monitor, 1 Feb. 2024
But Kirkpatrick chalks all the UFO hoopla up to a top secret government program not to reverse-engineer alien ships, but to manufacture high-altitude metallic spy balloons.
—Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 23 Jan. 2024
In his minute entry, Adleman chalks Lake's attorneys' deadline misses up to appellate litigation.
—Sasha Hupka, The Arizona Republic, 28 Mar. 2024
Asked about the pick, Hovde campaign spokesman Ben Voelkel chalked it up to pragmatism.
—Jessie Opoien, Journal Sentinel, 21 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'chalk.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near chalk
Cite this Entry
“Chalk.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chalk. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
chalk
2 of 2 verb1
: to rub, mark, write, or draw with chalk
2
a
: to outline roughly
chalk out a plan of attack
b
: to record or add up with or as if with chalk
chalk up the totals
Medical Definition
chalk
noun
: a soft white, gray, or buff limestone composed chiefly of the shells of foraminifers and sometimes used medicinally as a source of calcium carbonate
called also creta
see precipitated chalk, prepared chalkLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
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