as in debris
discarded or useless material
there's a lot of chaff in this book, and the reader should be on the alert for it
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in laugh
good-natured teasing or exchanging of clever remarks
I got no end of chaff about my accent when I was in the military
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in to tease
to make fun of in a good-natured way
chaffed her about the brightly colored shirt she had received as a gift
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in to joke
to make jokes
a coworker who likes to chaff at others' expense, and this often results in hurt feelings
Synonyms & Similar 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 chaff
David Axe, Forbes, 7 Mar. 2025
In French air force service, the Mirage 2000-5F flies with a combination of a Serval radar warning receiver, a Sabre jammer and an Eclair chaff and flare dispenser.
—David Axe, Forbes, 7 Mar. 2025
This efficiency allows for additional capacity regarding chaff and flare countermeasures, enhancing the aircraft’s ability to evade enemy defenses.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 20 Jan. 2025
This efficiency allows for additional capacity regarding chaff and flare countermeasures, enhancing the aircraft’s ability to evade enemy defenses.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 20 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for chaff
Noun
In French air force service, the Mirage 2000-5F flies with a combination of a Serval radar warning receiver, a Sabre jammer and an Eclair chaff and flare dispenser.
—David Axe, Forbes, 7 Mar. 2025
In French air force service, the Mirage 2000-5F flies with a combination of a Serval radar warning receiver, a Sabre jammer and an Eclair chaff and flare dispenser.
—David Axe, Forbes, 7 Mar. 2025
This efficiency allows for additional capacity regarding chaff and flare countermeasures, enhancing the aircraft’s ability to evade enemy defenses.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 20 Jan. 2025
This efficiency allows for additional capacity regarding chaff and flare countermeasures, enhancing the aircraft’s ability to evade enemy defenses.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 20 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for chaff
Recent Examples of Synonyms for chaff
Verb
-
After teasing a trek earlier this week, Paul McCartney has revealed that his Got Back Tour will return to North America this fall, the Beatles legend’s first tour stateside in four years.—
Daniel Kreps,
Rolling Stone,
10 July 2025
-
Since last year, Justin Bieber has been teasing the launch of his new fashion brand, Skylrk.—
Christian Allaire,
Vogue,
10 July 2025
Verb
-
There were a lot of pranks, joking and just overall funny stuff that went on behind the scenes in or around the lunchroom.—
Corky Carroll,
Oc Register,
11 July 2025
-
But whether with Felix or on her own, Jessica is a bit all over the map, with her behavior frequently feeling like it’s meant to meet the needs of a particular scene or joke rather than as a consistent throughline for the season.—
Alan Sepinwall,
Rolling Stone,
11 July 2025
Verb
-
There may be a welcome change in the global balance of power, as China and Russia recognize that the United States is not kidding.—
Wesley Alexander Hill,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2025
-
But internally, no one is kidding themselves or trying to sugarcoat the results.—
Pamela McClintock,
HollywoodReporter,
24 June 2025
Verb
-
Sear it, roast it, throw it on a sheet pan, bake it on parchment or even wrapped in swiss chard: Salmon deserves to be on regular rotation in your dinner lineup.—
Stacey Lastoe,
Southern Living,
28 June 2025
-
Mix sweet potato, beet and onion with 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt and pepper and roast at 375 degrees for 30 minutes.—
Philip Potempa,
Chicago Tribune,
27 June 2025
Verb
-
While denim remains a primary component of global fashion at every price point, don’t let its ubiquity and casual vibe fool you.—
Simon Mainwaring,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2025
-
But don’t let its impressive storage space fool you — the case folds in on itself to create a compact roll that’s easy to stow in suitcases and handbags.—
Clara McMahon,
People.com,
28 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Chaff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/chaff. Accessed 16 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share