1
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
1
as in indignation
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
2
as in abrasion
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of chafe
Shawnté Salabert, Outside Online, 28 Mar. 2025
So uncap this stick, glide it, and bid adieu to that dreaded chafe.
—Annie Blackman, Allure, 24 Mar. 2025
Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 21 Aug. 2025
To me, an American woman in the early 21st century, prickly and free-spirited Lady Murasaki now appears to have been chafing under conformist pressures in the Heian court.
—Lauren Groff, The Atlantic, 20 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for chafe
Verb
Then, the rotten cherry on top: my lightweight pack, overburdened with water and ill-equipped for the task, created a patch of chafe that eventually bloomed into an open wound.
—Shawnté Salabert, Outside Online, 28 Mar. 2025
So uncap this stick, glide it, and bid adieu to that dreaded chafe.
—Annie Blackman, Allure, 24 Mar. 2025
Noun
Stigwood chafed at making anything less than a gritty film.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 21 Aug. 2025
To me, an American woman in the early 21st century, prickly and free-spirited Lady Murasaki now appears to have been chafing under conformist pressures in the Heian court.
—Lauren Groff, The Atlantic, 20 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for chafe
Recent Examples of Synonyms for chafe
Verb
-
Generally, mineral sunscreens are beloved by dermatologists for not irritating sensitive skin, the way chemical sunscreens can.—
Megan McIntyre,
Allure,
16 Sep. 2025
-
Too many or poorly timed nudges irritate users.—
Prithvi Singh Shergill,
Forbes.com,
16 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The photo released shows what appears to be a man wearing a largely black outfit with an American flag on his shirt, a black cap, and black sunglasses.—
Connor Greene,
Time,
12 Sep. 2025
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Posing next to Colman Domingo and Salma Hayek Pinault (who wore an elegant black Balenciaga suit dress), Moore’s glitzy look shone.—
Anna Cafolla,
Vogue,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Don't push sales and annoy people.—
Nitin Gupta,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
-
Comments about my fast walk annoy me.—
Abigail Van Buren,
Boston Herald,
5 Sep. 2025
Noun
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And rather than indignation or rage or fury, what comes through in the letters is his sheer amazement at being in this predicament.—
Nick Vivarelli,
Variety,
10 Sep. 2025
-
But reacting with indignation has not been an option for Lee.—
Karina Tsui,
CNN Money,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Plus, it’s made of an abrasion-resistant blend of recycled nylon and elastane.—
Katie Jackson,
Travel + Leisure,
14 Sep. 2025
-
Tyson, who suffered an arm abrasion in the incident, will be booked once he is released from the hospital, Sanders said.—
Lillian Metzmeier,
Louisville Courier Journal,
2 Sep. 2025
Verb
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That 133-page City audit barely scratched the surface of the overall dysfunction at the City’s animal shelter.—
Michael Wagner,
Mercury News,
16 Sep. 2025
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But these figures only scratch the surface of Nepal’s deep economic problems, which include pervasive vulnerable employment – informal and insecure work that is prone to poor conditions and pay – and limited opportunities that constrain long-term productivity.—
Nir Kshetri,
The Conversation,
14 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Chinese policymakers have intensified efforts aimed at reining in excessive price cuts that have eroded corporate profits while doing little to spur demand.—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
10 Sep. 2025
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Higher prices risk eroding consumers’ purchasing power, and for those living paycheck to paycheck this can be quite painful.—
Matt Egan,
CNN Money,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The women were too busy cooking, crafting, and caring for the family to bother with the stone tools used by men in hunting and building.—
Sarah Durn,
Popular Science,
11 Sep. 2025
-
Why ban books, Postman asked, if no one bothers to read them?—
Time,
Time,
10 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Chafe.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/chafe. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
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