Synonyms of chafed

chafed

verb

past tense of chafe

1

as in irritated

to make sore by continued rubbing

ill-fitting boots that had badly chafed my heels

Synonyms & Similar Words

• irritated
• scratched
• scraped
• fretted
• galled
• excoriated
• abraded
• burned
• grazed
• peeled
• inflamed
• skinned
• flayed

2

as in eroded

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

• eroded
• wore
• frayed
• rubbed
• galled
• abraded
• reduced
• shaved
• fretted
• scraped
• rasped
• frazzled
• erased
• gnawed
• sharpened
• ate
• corraded
• chewed
• sandpapered
• filed
• scuffed
• grazed
• ground
• scoured
• nibbled
• corroded
• sandblasted
• grated
• wiped (away)
• disintegrated
• decomposed
• bit
• wore out
• dissolved
• rubbed out
• honed
• whetted
• broke down
• broke up

3

as in annoyed

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

• annoyed
• irritated
• bothered
• bugged
• persecuted
• aggravated
• got
• itched
• galled
• vexed
• nettled
• irked
• exasperated
• griped
• riled
• infuriated
• ate
• worried
• peeved
• ruffled
• angered
• burned (up)
• grated
• got to
• rasped
• piqued
• teased
• plagued
• narked
• put out
• spited
• wore on
• frosted
• insulted
• provoked
• hacked (off)
• harassed
• got on one's nerves
• stuck in one's craw
• inflamed
• nagged
• got one's goat
• rubbed the wrong way
• offended
• upset
• enraged
• hassled
• set one's teeth on edge
• roused
• rankled
• heckled
• incensed
• badgered
• agitated
• pestered
• harried
• roiled
• disquieted
• antagonized
• unsettled
• maddened
• distressed
• affronted
• perturbed
• exercised
• miffed
• fretted
• outraged
• discomposed
• discomforted
• baited
• deviled
• undid
• unhinged
• bullyragged
• hagrode
• freaked (out)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• obliged
• appeased
• mollified
• pacified
• pleased
• satisfied
• gratified
• delighted
• placated
• assured
• conciliated
• cheered
• soothed
• comforted
• propitiated
• reassured
• contented
• consoled
• quieted
• gladdened
• solaced

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of chafed

They were married from 1976 to 1982, as Taylor chafed against the confines of being a politician’s wife following Warner’s election to the Senate in 1979. — Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 28 Aug. 2026

Xi came to power after the 2008 protests in Tibet and deadly unrest in Xinjiang, another frontier region of modern China where ethnic minorities have long chafed under Beijing’s rule and witnessed a huge security crackdown. — CNN Money, 2 Aug. 2026

But Engelbert often has chafed against the players of the league, especially over the last year amid a contentious collective bargaining period. — Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune, 26 July 2026

Although many workers chafed against the confines of office life, demand for these jobs only grew. — Jake Lundberg, The Atlantic, 23 July 2026

That’s proven irresistible to startups, and increasingly, large companies that have chafed at the control OpenAI and Anthropic hold over their own closed models, as well as the mounting cost of using AI tools like ChatGPT and Claude. — Danielle Chemtob, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026

Some New Yorkers chafed at the security restrictions around a key transit hub on a holiday weekend, all during a heat wave. — ABC News, 11 July 2026

And for little ones with whose cheeks might be chafed due to diaper rash, the Sweet Cheeks Diaper Paste helps seal out wetness and irritants to protect skin. — Hannah Sacks, PEOPLE, 23 June 2026

Afterward, he was asked about race and politics almost exclusively, a narrowing of his work that often chafed. — Julian Lucas, New Yorker, 22 June 2026