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 nurturing Moon travels through your 6th House of Work and conjoins edgy Chiron there, highlighting a small habit that chafes, then pointing you toward relief. — Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 Aug. 2026 But Morton chafes against such stark and incriminating simplicity. — Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 27 July 2026 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for chafes
  1. irritates
  2. wears
  3. annoys
  4. outrages
  5. scratches
  6. erodes
  7. bothers
  8. abrasions
Verb
  • Knowing that Madame Lalouette’s sales numbers are too high to fire her, Carla attempts to transfer Madame Morel to a different department — a move that irritates her superiors and highlights her weakness.
    — Beatrice Loayza, Variety, 9 Sep. 2026
  • With contact dermatitis, a product like a soap or chemical irritates the skin or causes an allergic reaction, leading to symptoms like itching, discoloration, swelling, or even blisters.
    — Ayren Jackson-Cannady, Allure, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of irritates
Verb
  • Police said Strode walks with a cane, usually wears sunglasses and carries a medical alert necklace.
    — Ben Wheeler, Kansas City Star, 5 Sep. 2026
  • In the clip, the actress wears a black dress and slowly turns around to reveal her pregnant belly.
    — Madison E. Goldberg, PEOPLE, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of wears
Verb
  • That very same thing is what annoys Liz about Charles 500 years later.
    — Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026
  • But Turner is a symbol for everything that annoys people about the Phillies.
    — Matt Gelb, New York Times, 19 July 2026
Definition of annoys
Noun
  • The liberal list of Republican offenses is long—so long, indeed, that the outrages blur.
    — Daniel Immerwahr, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026
  • 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
Definition of outrages
Noun
  • From a functionality perspective, fireclay is non-porous and resists stains, scratches, and everyday wear while maintaining its appearance over time, says Bartel.
    — Blythe Copeland, Martha Stewart, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Barry Morphew was seen on video buffing scratches on the other driver's car with a T-shirt and his hand.
    — Adam Sabes, FOXNews.com, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of scratches
Verb
  • Yet if retention and expansion are not embedded into the sales KPI structure, the system continues to reward behavior that erodes enterprise value.
    — Guy Yehiav, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2026
  • High inflation erodes purchasing power, drives up borrowing costs, and triggers more uncertainty for companies and consumers, Sowerby said.
    — Susan Tompor, Freep.com, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of erodes
Verb
  • That sequencing bothers people who’ve spent careers being told that data systems need privacy protections designed in, not bolted on after a scandal.
    — Karl W. Bickel, Baltimore Sun, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Kurt's key takeaways What bothers me most about this scam is that criminals are going after people who may have the fewest options to protect themselves.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of bothers
Noun
  • His injuries also included a strained AC joint in his shoulder and abrasions on his face, the affidavit states.
    — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Leading the charge in technology is Goatek, a proprietary outsole platform that Nike says delivers a 45 percent improvement in wet traction and 25 percent greater resistance to abrasions compared to previous ACG outsoles.
    — Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 27 Aug. 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 14 Sep. 2026.

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