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
Eben Novy-Williams, Sportico.com, 24 Feb. 2026
Over time, though, this newfound celebrity began to chafe against the show’s establishing constraints.
—Naomi Fry, New Yorker, 21 Feb. 2026
Tim Grierson, Vulture, 26 Sep. 2025
The soft details include a tagless design and chafe-free stitching, and the crew neck retains its shape well.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 12 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for chafe
Verb
Consumers have chafed at some of the company’s integration of ESPN Unlimited, which is relying on cable providers to grant access to their subscribers and is absorbing some content that used to be available at no additional cost to traditional ESPN+ subscribers.
—Eben Novy-Williams, Sportico.com, 24 Feb. 2026
Over time, though, this newfound celebrity began to chafe against the show’s establishing constraints.
—Naomi Fry, New Yorker, 21 Feb. 2026
Noun
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
The soft details include a tagless design and chafe-free stitching, and the crew neck retains its shape well.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 12 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for chafe
Recent Examples of Synonyms for chafe
Verb
-
While it’s powered by retinol, an ingredient known to be irritating, this treats my under-eye with care.—
Jenny Berg,
Vogue,
19 Mar. 2026
-
All these questions started to irritate him.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
19 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
At a demonstration in Hangzhou, an operator wearing a motion-capture suit carried out a series of actions, including waving, turning, and kicking a ball, while Titan 01 replicated every movement within milliseconds.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
24 Mar. 2026
-
For example, people now take care to wear shoes at home in case an explosion shatters glass, or there’s a need to evacuate immediately.—
Jason Rezaian,
New Yorker,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
More traditional Bachelor Nation fans annoyed by the influencer-ification of reality TV already considered Paul the death knell for the franchise even before the recent scandal.—
Rebecca Jennings,
Vulture,
20 Mar. 2026
-
While nobody at Netflix has suggested that the Sussexes violated any of the terms of their agreement, which allows the couple to engage in projects in other arenas and participate in interviews for other distribution outlets, many at the streamer were annoyed by the lack of communication.—
Matt Donnelly,
Variety,
17 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Those calls have been met with eye-rolling and righteous indignation.—
Daniel DePetris,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Mar. 2026
-
But this indignation ignores what Chalamet was actually saying.—
Tiana Lowe Doescher,
The Washington Examiner,
13 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Light scratches and abrasions will occur at the finish level rather than on the wood, and moisture and water won’t absorb through the topcoat.—
Dan Simms,
USA Today,
23 Mar. 2026
-
The victim suffered a brain bleed, a fractured toe and abrasions, according to court officials.—
JT Moodee Lockman,
CBS News,
19 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Modern cosmic data analysis faces some truly head-scratching algorithmic challenges, demanding not just cleverness, but brand-new ways to hunt for answers across vast conceptual spaces.—
Paul Sutter,
Space.com,
22 Mar. 2026
-
The wild card for Milwaukee is Jacob Misiorowski, one of the most talented young arms in the game who is still just scratching the surface of his potential.—
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
21 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The speakers also argued the move will push people to work without a license and erode state oversight of crucial industries.—
ALEJANDRO SERRANO The Texas Tribune,
Arkansas Online,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Eva Bermúdez Zimmerman, executive director of Child Care For CT, said that the Manchester closure reflects broader pressures eroding the existing care infrastructure.—
Laura Tillman,
Hartford Courant,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
But a few days before Sonya disappeared, something was bothering her, her mother said.—
Claire Osborn,
Austin American Statesman,
21 Mar. 2026
-
The sidewalk was bustling, but no one even bothered to rubberneck.—
Amanda Peet,
New Yorker,
21 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Chafe.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/chafe. Accessed 28 Mar. 2026.
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