chaffing 1 of 2

adjective

as in joking
marked by or expressive of mild or good-natured teasing a chaffing tone to Dad's discussion of my sister's new boyfriend

Synonyms & Similar Words

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chaffing

2 of 2

verb

present participle of chaff
1
as in teasing
to make fun of in a good-natured way chaffed her about the brightly colored shirt she had received as a gift

Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in funning
to make jokes a coworker who likes to chaff at others' expense, and this often results in hurt feelings

Synonyms & Similar 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 chaffing
Verb
The Mulberry silk blend material, meantime, is soft and gentle against the skin, reducing fine lines caused by frequent rubbing or chaffing. — Tim Chan, Footwear News, 18 Feb. 2026 Water repellent fabrics will keep you dry to prevent chilling and chaffing. — James Edward Mills, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Aug. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for chaffing
  1. ribbing
  2. teasing
  3. joking
  4. mocking
  5. kidding
  6. sarcastic
  7. rallying
  8. quizzical
Adjective
  • Fourth, the handle needed to be patterned for a secure grip even in dirty, wet conditions, so checkering or deep ribbing was added to the alloy metal.
    — David Szondy August 30, New Atlas, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Cotton-cashmere ribbing blends softness and structure for a lightweight tank that always looks as intended.
    — Paris Wilson, Travel + Leisure, 1 June 2026
Definition of ribbing
Verb
  • In September, while teasing what would become vSphere Express, Paul Turner, VCF’s chief product officer, told The Register that Broadcom issued sales incentives that pushed its sales team to sell VCF.
    — Scharon Harding, ArsTechnica, 4 Nov. 2026
  • The Grammy winner also teamed up with her friends for a Hairspray group costume, teasing her hair and donning a 1960s-esque dress in a recreation of Amanda Bynes’ character Penny in the 2007 film adaptation of the musical of the same name.
    — Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of teasing
Verb
  • Stick it out through the trollish one-liners and half-joking ennui, and a galvanizing abundance grindset emerges.
    — Hattie Lindert, Pitchfork, 5 Nov. 2026
  • Stewart concluded by joking that his final act of objetophilia had taken place in the very theater where the gala was being held, much to the audience’s dismay and amusement.
    — Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of joking
Adjective
  • To get a sense of his whole deal, look no further than the half-mocking, half-earnest title of his latest album, Country!
    — Jonathan Bernstein, Rolling Stone, 23 Sep. 2025
Definition of mocking
Verb
  • The brand wasn’t kidding about its wrinkle resistance, either.
    — Vivien Lee, PEOPLE, 23 Oct. 2026
  • But kidding aside, AI used in the right way can make people smarter about their health, more so than most realize.
    — Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of kidding
Adjective
  • Eidra pushes her tendency to get glib and sarcastic rather than risk being vulnerable and honest to its farthest limits.
    — Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 16 Oct. 2026
  • The interest has been driven largely by the brand's casual, sarcastic tone and active participation in online trends.
    — Megan Sauer, CNBC, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of sarcastic
Adjective
  • And, unlike most other countries in wartime that have been attacked, there was no rallying effect for the government after October 7th.
    — Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 15 Apr. 2026
Definition of rallying
Adjective
  • Andrew Durand, with his handsome crab-apple features, makes a perfectly quizzical Benjamin; Kelsee Kimmel is stirring as his true love, who shares his age just once.
    — Dan Stahl, New Yorker, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Mann accepts it all gracefully, but there’s also something a bit quizzical and lost in his expression.
    — Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of quizzical

Browse Nearby Words

chaffer (with)
chaffing
chaffs
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Chaffing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/chaffing. Accessed 14 Nov. 2026.

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