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
  • Cotton-cashmere ribbing blends softness and structure for a lightweight tank that always looks as intended.
    — Paris Wilson, Travel + Leisure, 1 June 2026
  • The Bay Area and Silicon Valley has always been ripe for both some ribbing and some potent storytelling on the big and small screen, due to its colorful history and its current role as capitol of the American technological zeitgeist.
    — Randy Myers, Mercury News, 7 Apr. 2026
Definition of ribbing
Verb
  • After teasing us for a while, Volvo finally showed off the EX30 for real in 2023.
    — Jonathan M. Gitlin, ArsTechnica, 1 July 2026
  • Nike has been teasing its forthcoming partnership with the German team throughout this World Cup.
    — Sara Germano, Sportico.com, 29 June 2026
Definition of teasing
Verb
  • The Star Wars actor shared a photo of the newlyweds on Instagram on Sunday, July 5, while joking about his whereabouts on their special day.
    — Raven Brunner, PEOPLE, 6 July 2026
  • Following the convincing 3-0 victory over Czechia while resting some starters, the atmosphere on the Mexican team has been very relaxed, with several videos showing the players joking around with each other.
    — Eduard Cauich, Los Angeles Times, 30 June 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
  • But Guthrie wasn’t kidding, slipping into a yellow gingham dress before joining her co-hosts on the Today Show Plaza to greet visitors.
    — Rachel McRady, PEOPLE, 7 July 2026
  • Just kidding, but seeing Angela’s team sweep Shamea’s at the Bailey Bowl basketball tournament was almost as satisfying as knowing Charles got to witness his former team’s historic win in person.
    — Ile-Ife Okantah, Vulture, 22 June 2026
Definition of kidding
Adjective
  • Another way to say this is that, in place of the extensive self-announcements Plato allows his characters, Rochester substitutes his own summary judgements, his sarcastic imitations.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 July 2026
  • This is taken as evidence of his status, not a sarcastic criticism.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 July 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
  • Dozens of media outlets, from international agencies to local TV stations to true crime podcasters, were inside the Lexington County courthouse to again chronicle every forehead rub and quizzical look from the once rich and imposing Southern lawyer.
    — Jeffrey Collins, Chicago Tribune, 29 June 2026
  • By widening the lens, Clark is able to redirect the book’s gaze from the mother toward a quizzical, sometimes critical, but not unaffectionate portrait of two generations of political activism, with the attendant self-involvement and domestic negligence.
    — James Wood, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
Definition of quizzical

Browse Nearby Words

chaffer (with)
chaffing
chaffs
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Cite this Entry

“Chaffing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/chaffing. Accessed 16 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on chaffing

Nglish: Translation of chaffing for Spanish Speakers

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