chafe

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verb

Definition of CHAFE

1

to make sore by continued rubbing <ill-fitting boots that had badly chafed my heels>

Synonyms abrade, excoriate, fret, gall, irritate

Related Words graze, scrape, scratch; burn, inflame (also enflame); flay, peel, skin

2

to damage or diminish by continued friction <constant stepping on a rope will gradually chafe it, rendering it unsafe for rock climbing>

Synonyms chafe, corrade, erode, fray, frazzle, fret, gall, rasp, rub, wear

Related Words file, gnaw, grate, graze, grind, nibble, sandblast, sandpaper, scour, scrape, scuff, shave; erase, reduce, rub out, wear out, wipe (away); bite, break down, break up, chew, corrode, decompose, disintegrate, dissolve, eat; hone, sharpen, whet

3

to disturb the peace of mind of (someone) especially by repeated disagreeable acts <nothing chafes us so much as those telemarketers who call during the dinner hour>

Synonyms aggravate, annoy, bother, bug, burn (up), chafe, eat, exasperate, frost, gall, get, grate, gripe, hack (off), irk, itch, nark [British], nettle, peeve, persecute, pique, put out, rasp, rile, ruffle, spite, vex

Related Words hassle, heckle; nag; inflame (also enflame), provoke, rouse; badger, bait, bullyrag (also ballyrag), devil, hagride, harass, harry, pester, plague, tease; anger, antagonize, enrage, incense, infuriate, madden, rankle, roil; agitate, discomfort, discompose, disquiet, distress, exercise, freak (out), fret, perturb, undo, unhinge, unsettle, upset, worry; affront, insult, miff, offend, outrage

Near Antonyms appease, conciliate, mollify, oblige, pacify, placate, propitiate; delight, gladden, gratify, please, satisfy; assure, cheer, comfort, console, content, quiet, reassure, solace, soothe