as in coward
a person who shows a shameful lack of courage in the face of danger
a staunch hawk during the drumbeat for war, he proved to be a chicken when it came to actually fighting it
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in yellow
having or showing a shameful lack of courage
too chicken to go through with the stunt
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in nominal
so small or unimportant as to warrant little or no attention
just concentrate on the important duties of the job and forget about the chicken stuff
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 chicken
Erin Vanderhoof, Vanity Fair, 20 Apr. 2026
On that mild Wednesday in late March, House of Hope provided chicken, eggs, bread, potatoes, fresh fruit and vegetables, and milk.
—Taylor Sisk, CBS News, 20 Apr. 2026
Sweet peas are paired with baby beets, new potatoes, and sweet potatoes for a springy combination that pairs well with simple proteins like roast chicken, fish, or steak.
—Lizzy Briskin, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Apr. 2026
His go-to: tandoori chicken, garlic naan, one mango lassi, and two cups of creamy chai.
—David Williams, Bon Appetit Magazine, 13 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for chicken
Noun
Then there’s obviously the hair and the very stoic pose, and then there’s the chicken.
—Erin Vanderhoof, Vanity Fair, 20 Apr. 2026
On that mild Wednesday in late March, House of Hope provided chicken, eggs, bread, potatoes, fresh fruit and vegetables, and milk.
—Taylor Sisk, CBS News, 20 Apr. 2026
Sweet peas are paired with baby beets, new potatoes, and sweet potatoes for a springy combination that pairs well with simple proteins like roast chicken, fish, or steak.
—Lizzy Briskin, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Apr. 2026
His go-to: tandoori chicken, garlic naan, one mango lassi, and two cups of creamy chai.
—David Williams, Bon Appetit Magazine, 13 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for chicken
Recent Examples of Synonyms for chicken
Noun
-
According to the referee report, Bright used a racial slur that is slang for punk or coward.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
21 Apr. 2026
-
Time constraints once again strike here, but there’s also the fact that the movie drops the plot’s true twist — that Grace is a coward — only a few minutes before.—
Matthew Razak,
Space.com,
23 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
In perhaps one of their most public twinning moments, the mom and daughter don yellow coats and complementary hats at Epsom Downs Racecourse.—
Kate Hogan,
PEOPLE,
21 Apr. 2026
-
The blue band represents the predictions from a dark matter-and-dark energy dominated Universe that follows the rules of Einstein’s general relativity, while the yellow band represents the predictions from a dark matter-free Universe that follows the rules of MOND.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
21 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
And, in the end, none of the aforementioned might be available except for Ja Morant, who might be only a nominal upgrade, if that.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Companies provide most of the capital; Pegasus contributes a nominal share for compliance reasons and manages the investments.—
Nicholas Gordon,
Fortune,
21 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Maybe a lot of producers are Melissas, afraid of the present, looking toward a past that never really existed.—
Jackson McHenry,
Vulture,
21 Apr. 2026
-
Miami is exceptionally good at finding role players , so don’t be afraid to trade a Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr, etc.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
21 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The Knicks are slight favorites to win Game 4, and a win would flip things back around.—
Dan Santaromita,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
-
If your car is equipped with front radar or driver‑assist features, dirt on the sensor or slight misalignment from a parking‑lot bump could also be the culprit.—
Hartford Courant,
Hartford Courant,
25 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
So Tristian stood, waiting for his moment, preparing himself to do what everyone else was too scared to do.—
Empress Rasheem,
Baltimore Sun,
19 Apr. 2026
-
People are scared, at the bottom line.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Republicans have a tiny four-vote majority in the chamber, and the president’s party historically struggles in midterm balloting.—
Editorial,
Boston Herald,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Lunch is served here too, but during the day most guests prefer to head over to the family’s beach club, Bagno Assunta, which serves classic Italian summer fare, like a solid insalata caprese and spaghetti alle arselle (tiny local clams).—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Fetch Foster Rescue has taken in animals from households whose homes were completely destroyed, and the organization’s immediate focus is keeping those frightened pets as relaxed as possible while storm cleanup continues across the community.—
Samantha Agate,
Charlotte Observer,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Witnesses describe the dogs as frightened and wary rather than dangerous — a pair of scared animals looking for food, not a fight.—
Ryan Brennan
April 21,
Miami Herald,
21 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Chicken.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/chicken. Accessed 27 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
