chafe 1 of 2

verb

ˈchāf How to pronounce chafe (audio)
Definition of chafenext
1
as in to irritate
to make sore by continued rubbing ill-fitting boots that had badly chafed my heels

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in to wear
to damage or diminish by continued friction constant stepping on a rope will gradually chafe it, rendering it unsafe for rock climbing

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in to annoy
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 & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

chafe

2 of 2

noun

1
as in indignation

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Dissimilar Words
2
as in abrasion

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Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of chafe
Verb
Even when worn without socks, the shoes don’t chafe, according to shoppers. — Kaitlin Marks, Travel + Leisure, 21 Aug. 2026 Last week, Agence France-Presse reported on conversations with Afghan fathers, many of them religiously observant, who chafe at the limits on their daughters’ learning. — The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 17 Aug. 2026
Noun
What follows is an absurd reckoning that mixes surreal humor and domestic drama as Shula chafes against her relatives’ hysterical funeral planning. — David Sims, The Atlantic, 9 Dec. 2025 Zwick is such a conventional filmmaker that DiCaprio chafes trying to break out of the Reluctant Hero straitjacket Zwick puts him in. — Tim Grierson, Vulture, 26 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for chafe
Recent Examples of Synonyms for chafe
  1. irritate
  2. wear
  3. annoy
  4. indignation
  5. abrasion
  6. scratch
  7. erode
  8. bother
Verb
  • Tactics such as ragebait have only added to the fatigue, irritating enthusiasts already frustrated by the relentless churn of slop.
    — Amy Francombe, Vogue, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Patients may be advised to use gentle, fragrance-free products, keep the area moisturized, and avoid anything that further irritates the skin.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of irritate
Verb
  • Eldridge sounds wistful, speculating about the person who might have worn them.
    — Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 9 Oct. 2026
  • To this point, experts agree that the best commercial product isn’t necessarily the easiest to wear.
    — Joe Bobowicz, Vogue, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of wear
Verb
  • And now Snider found himself here, under a bright, blue sky, annoyed as a fireman examined the staples on the side of his head.
    — Geoff Edgers, Washington Post, 11 Oct. 2026
  • What annoys me is that this whole thing is called Roaring 20th, so why was there not a flapper and Great Gatsby theme?
    — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of annoy
Noun
  • Along with his signature rapid-fire, garrulous dialogue, Sorkin’s tendency for self-righteous indignation is very much in evidence.
    — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 7 Oct. 2026
  • But a new wave of indignation swept Spain when Abascal, who uses a wheelchair, was carried on a stretcher from her apartment after police cordoned off the street.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of indignation
Noun
  • Most had abrasions and small cuts, and all but the driver have since been treated and released, authorities said Monday during a press briefing.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Machado and her daughters had abrasions on their necks, which Lew said is consistent with asphyxiation.
    — Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of abrasion
Verb
  • The bear even takes time to exfoliate, using what appears to be a concrete barrier to scratch its back.
    — Jaclyn Cosgrove, Los Angeles Times, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Atlanta scratched across three runs against a shaky Blake Snell and a parade of Dodgers relievers, while Ray Kerr and Didier Fuentes, among others, held the powerful LA lineup to just two.
    — Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of scratch
Verb
  • Infrastructure built over generations erodes when demand isn’t there to support it.
    — Catherine Salfino, Footwear News, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Today, Putin follows essentially the same model, seeking to erode allies’ confidence in NATO’s Article 5 by relying on tactics that fall below the threshold of a conventional warfare and leave unaffected members hesitant to respond.
    — Julianne Smith, Foreign Affairs, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of erode
Verb
  • Palo Alto Networks did that after buying [Israeli startup] CyberArk, but why would most companies bother?
    — Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 12 Oct. 2026
  • That woman was truly unbothered, a term tossed around online, but the literal act of not being bothered is impossible for most people beyond the quirkiest, like my onetime neighbor, or maybe Fran Lebowitz.
    — Marisa Meltzer, Vanity Fair, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of bother

Browse Nearby Words

cestus
chafe
chafed
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Cite this Entry

“Chafe.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/chafe. Accessed 15 Oct. 2026.

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