as in debris
discarded or useless material
there's a lot of chaff in this book, and the reader should be on the alert for it
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in laugh
good-natured teasing or exchanging of clever remarks
I got no end of chaff about my accent when I was in the military
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in to tease
to make fun of in a good-natured way
chaffed her about the brightly colored shirt she had received as a gift
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2
as in to joke
to make jokes
a coworker who likes to chaff at others' expense, and this often results in hurt feelings
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of chaff
David Baker, The Atlantic, 8 Dec. 2024
Not wind but a chaff of pollen choking in that whirl.
—David Baker, The Atlantic, 8 Dec. 2024
That’s where Quaker parenting has stepped in for me, providing a simple way to separate the wheat from the child-development chaff.
—Gail Cornwall, The Atlantic, 3 Apr. 2025
In French air force service, the Mirage 2000-5F flies with a combination of a Serval radar warning receiver, a Sabre jammer and an Eclair chaff and flare dispenser.
—David Axe, Forbes, 7 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for chaff
Noun
Not wind but a chaff of pollen choking in that whirl.
—David Baker, The Atlantic, 8 Dec. 2024
Not wind but a chaff of pollen choking in that whirl.
—David Baker, The Atlantic, 8 Dec. 2024
That’s where Quaker parenting has stepped in for me, providing a simple way to separate the wheat from the child-development chaff.
—Gail Cornwall, The Atlantic, 3 Apr. 2025
In French air force service, the Mirage 2000-5F flies with a combination of a Serval radar warning receiver, a Sabre jammer and an Eclair chaff and flare dispenser.
—David Axe, Forbes, 7 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for chaff
Recent Examples of Synonyms for chaff
Verb
-
Apple has teased generative AI features coming in iOS 18, and investors will be listening closely for hints from CEO Tim Cook ahead of June’s WWDC.—
Catherine Baab,
Quartz,
29 Apr. 2025
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In the trailer for Buzz, which Deadline can exclusively share, Lithgow teases what listeners can expect.—
Stewart Clarke,
Deadline,
29 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The Whalen video used audio of Hemphill joking about the possibility of activists getting arrested for removing the Pride flag.—
Sally Krutzig,
Idaho Statesman,
20 Apr. 2025
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Several users joked about the situation, with one user posting a photo of the Spotify logo on top of a grave.—
Miranda Nazzaro,
The Hill,
16 Apr. 2025
Verb
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And neither Bibb, Le Bon nor Gries were kidding, as there wasn’t just one death, but five.—
Tim Lammers,
Forbes.com,
7 Apr. 2025
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Who are Manager Brandon Hyde and General Manager Mike Elias kidding here?—
Reader Commentary,
Baltimore Sun,
28 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
The conquistadors raped Indigenous women, chopped off Indians’ hands, used swords as spits to roast Indian babies over fires as their mothers watched.—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
23 Apr. 2025
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There are treehouses to explore, pools to enjoy in the warmer months, s’mores to roast, and golf courses, beach cruisers, and kayaks to fill your itinerary.—
Lydia Mansel,
Southern Living,
18 Apr. 2025
Verb
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That was probably a terrible decision, in fairness, but Meazza responded by faking a shot to fool a defender, then teed up Piola to score.—
Michael Cox,
New York Times,
20 Apr. 2025
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While the towering shoes may seem intimidating, don’t let their large, often chunky heels fool you: PLatform shoes are among the most comfortable heels in any wardrobe.—
Nina Derwin,
Glamour,
17 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Chaff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/chaff. Accessed 2 May. 2025.
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