as in irritating
causing annoyance
learned to ignore those chafing comments that his mother-in-law was constantly making
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in scratching
to make sore by continued rubbing
ill-fitting boots that had badly chafed my heels
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in wearing
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 annoying
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
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for chafing
Adjective
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There’s never been a more irritating trio of possible playoff opponents than Draymond Green, Jimmy Butler and Dan Hayes.—
Aaron Gleeman,
New York Times,
30 Apr. 2025 -
Like nails on a chalkboard, whining—an irritating blend of talking and crying—has the ability to make almost any parent either lose their temper or cave.—
Debby Waldman,
Parents,
29 Apr. 2025
Verb
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But that’s just scratching the surface – addressing only the symptoms of the underlying challenges and only addressing them at the end of the SDLC process.—
Jeremy Vaughan,
Forbes,
23 Dec. 2024
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Similar to a sheet pan, whole meals can be built in a Dutch oven, scratching that same itch for convenience and less clean up.—
Alana Al-Hatlani,
Southern Living,
23 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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That’s frustrating – to come so close to reaching the summit and miss out by just one space is annoying.—
Hugh McIntyre,
Forbes.com,
4 May 2025
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That can be annoying, but NotebookLM is not—this one actually works.—
Jennifer Ouellette,
ArsTechnica,
2 May 2025
Verb
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The traditional barriers surrounding proprietary AI are eroding, ushering in a new era of innovation that will redefine the global AI race.—
Vandana Rana,
Forbes,
5 Mar. 2025
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Gerrymandering reduces electoral competition, entrenches incumbents, and marginalizes whole communities, ultimately eroding public trust in democracy.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Rodin Cars The big idea behind Rodin is to build cars without bothering about vehicle regulations – in stark contrast to F1 cars, which are subject to several rules around how they're put together.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
2 Jan. 2025
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The city and state have also been ramping up efforts to engage troubled vagrants sleeping and sometimes bothering straphangers, connecting them with services and shelter and potentially involuntary treatment.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
27 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Technical glitches and changing rules are frustrating borrowers trying to plan.—
Shahar Ziv,
Forbes.com,
9 May 2025
-
Cleveland head coach Kenny Atkinson spoke about the frustrating Game 2 loss, revealing a big regret that led to the defeat.—
Matt Levine,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 May 2025
Verb
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The hems are finished with double stitching to prevent the edges from fraying or unraveling.—
Maggie Horton,
People.com,
8 Apr. 2025
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Perspective, of course, is sometimes no match for the cold math of an underwhelming win streak or a locker room with fraying edges.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
8 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Proponents have long invoked civil rights language to promote vouchers, a disturbing rhetorical choice given vouchers originated as a tool for southern white parents to avoid the Supreme Court's desegregation order in Brown v. Board of Education.—
Kevin Sabet,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 May 2025
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Actress Isabella Rossellini reflects on the film’s disturbing material and autobiographical elements while resisting reductive interpretations.—
Patrick Brzeski,
HollywoodReporter,
14 May 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Chafing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/chafing. Accessed 21 May. 2025.
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