1
2
as in wears
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 annoys
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 angers
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
2
as in scratches
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of chafes
David Sims, The Atlantic, 9 Dec. 2025
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
Verb
What follows is an absurd reckoning that mixes surreal humor and domestic drama as Shula chafes against her relatives’ hysterical funeral planning.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 9 Dec. 2025
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for chafes
Verb
-
Somehow, this irritates Helen even more.—
Sadia Shepard,
New Yorker,
11 Jan. 2026
-
In other words, alcohol disrupts hydration, irritates the gut, inflames blood vessels, messes with sleep, and forces your liver into metabolic overdrive.—
Ciara Lucas,
SELF,
30 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
No law enforcement professional wears a mask.—
Washington Examiner Staff,
The Washington Examiner,
13 Jan. 2026
-
In the video, Kravitz wears a white minidress and black flats, while Styles is dressed down in jeans and a blue jacket.—
Bailey Bujnosek,
InStyle,
13 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
One of its two young sibling protagonists, Amber (Bianca Belle), channels her feelings about the recent death of her mother into drawings of creatures born out of her troubled imagination, some of whom enact violence against the classmate who annoys her.—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
1 Dec. 2025
-
There's just one thing about Claire Danes that annoys Matthew Rhys.—
Yamillah Hurtado,
PEOPLE,
22 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
According to the girl's doctor, the child had a human bite on her face, scratches and blunt force trauma to her head, WSB reported.—
David Chiu,
PEOPLE,
14 Jan. 2026
-
Avoid using them on glass, stainless steel, natural stone, ceramic, or wood to prevent scratches.—
Tessa Cooper,
The Spruce,
13 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
An analysis published by CX Today found that when AI use is hidden, trust erodes quickly, even when outcomes are accurate.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
2 Jan. 2026
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Understanding that difference can prevent endless money conflicts because frugality builds a meaningful life, while cheapness slowly erodes joy.—
Brian Page,
CNBC,
26 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Feeney’s book features multiple narrators, but relativity is not an idea the series bothers to develop.—
Television Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Now, wages have grown, but inflation bothers people.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
28 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
His brakeman for that event, Carsten Vissering, suffered abrasions and was unable to compete Sunday in the four-man.—
Chantz Martin,
FOXNews.com,
14 Jan. 2026
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Never wear your lenses while asleep, either, since that can cause dryness, irritation, abrasions and entrapment of germs that can lead to serious infections.—
Kristen Rogers,
CNN Money,
10 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
This particular aspect of the show frays the gripping tone that had been so masterfully crafted from its opening scene.—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
22 Oct. 2025
-
Conjuring the troubled inner life of a young, beautiful and successful Buenos Aires fashion designer with an uncommon mix of stylistic rigor and feeling, the film frays your nerves.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
13 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Chafes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/chafes. Accessed 18 Jan. 2026.
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