chafes 1 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of chafe
1
as in irritates
to make sore by continued rubbing ill-fitting boots that had badly chafed my heels

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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

chafes

2 of 2

noun

plural of chafe
1
as in angers

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Dissimilar Words
2
as in scratches

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Dissimilar Words

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 chafes
Verb
The debut novel from this English professor and pioneering feminist follows Mira, a suburban homemaker who chafes against patriarchal society, divorces her husband, enrolls in graduate school, and becomes an outspoken advocate for women’s rights. — Michael Schaub, Oc Register, 25 June 2026 This new life chafes my husband more than me. — Zinzi Clemmons, Los Angeles Times, 8 June 2026 What feels like sci-fi resolves into a Realist worker portrait as a technological fantasy of efficiency chafes against the fleshy, earthly physical world. — Emily Watlington, ARTnews.com, 24 May 2026 The lively, spirited daughter of an Afghani immigrant family chafes against the traditional values of her family and immigrant community. — The Know, Denver Post, 19 Apr. 2026 As John's disciplinary hearing draws ever closer, the protagonist increasingly chafes at his attempts to smooth over the situation. — Megan McCluskey, Time, 5 Mar. 2026 Throughout, emotion churns and chafes against a backdrop of political unrest, corporate malfeasance, and the everyday horrors that erode modern life. — Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 13 Feb. 2026 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
  1. irritates
  2. wears
  3. annoys
  4. outrages
  5. scratches
  6. erodes
  7. bothers
  8. abrasions
Verb
  • If someone is in your life long enough, they’re bound to do something that irritates you—and you’re bound to do something that irritates them.
    — Olga Khazan, The Atlantic, 15 June 2026
  • Elsa’s inquisitive presence almost instantly irritates Amalia, as the latter refuses to simply acquiesce to her relentless quizzing.
    — Lé Baltar, IndieWire, 16 May 2026
Definition of irritates
Verb
  • Rodríguez Castro wears a stainless-steel version on his left wrist.
    — Romina Ruiz-Goiriena, USA Today, 6 July 2026
  • Team Visma-Lease A Bike’s Jonas Vingegaard currently wears the yellow jersey after two stages, while Mexico’s Isaac del Toro of UAE Team Emirates won his first Tour de France stage on Sunday afternoon.
    — Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 5 July 2026
Definition of wears
Verb
  • Another potential ingredient in whether a company annoys customers is its business model.
    — Greg Rosalsky, NPR, 7 July 2026
  • That's Clearly Too Heavy This isn't just something that annoys flight attendants, but a potentially hazardous task for crew members.
    — Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 3 July 2026
Definition of annoys
Noun
  • Look, of the outrages, these are like the least among them, as far as being upset with the administration, with the president.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 14 June 2026
  • More recently, Tandy Hills experienced issues with ATVs being driven through the park and damaging wildflowers, sparking outrages on social media from people who demanded the city take action.
    — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Mar. 2026
Definition of outrages
Noun
  • The photos of the front and driver’s side of a white van show no dents or scratches.
    — Michael Loria, USA Today, 7 July 2026
  • Vinyl scratches, cut-and-paste sound bites, and snowy static pepper its bouquet of styles, while a handful of shorter interlude tracks help the band speak its narrative message.
    — Kat Bein, SPIN, 7 July 2026
Definition of scratches
Verb
  • Financial privacy erodes gradually through risk assessments, compliance obligations, information sharing partnerships and international standards presented as technical rather than political.
    — Susie Violet Ward, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
  • This undermines financial stability, erodes reserves intended for true emergencies, and increases the likelihood of necessary cuts or emergency measures in the future.
    — Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 June 2026
Definition of erodes
Verb
  • If that bothers you, then a significant projection for Bo Nix’s season will make your skin crawl.
    — Troy Renck, Denver Post, 6 July 2026
  • What bothers me more is when passengers take up valuable overhead bin space with personal items like backpacks and jackets before everyone has finished boarding.
    — Skyli Alvarez, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 July 2026
Definition of bothers
Noun
  • According to the lawsuit, the toddler was taken to the emergency room later that day for evaluation of blunt head trauma and was diagnosed with a concussion, traumatic brain injury and facial abrasions.
    — Shafiq Najib, ABC News, 7 July 2026
  • Crump said the pathologist noted injury patterns on Kohen’s body caused by debris in the bullet’s wake and displayed a picture showing several abrasions on the child’s right torso.
    — Bracey Harris, NBC news, 1 July 2026
Definition of abrasions

Browse Nearby Words

chafed
chafes
chaff
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Cite this Entry

“Chafes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/chafes. Accessed 12 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of chafes for Spanish Speakers

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