chicken 1 of 2

noun

ˈchi-kᵊn How to pronounce chicken (audio)
Definition of chickennext
as in coward
a person who shows a shameful lack of courage in the face of danger a staunch hawk during the drumbeat for war, he proved to be a chicken when it came to actually fighting it

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

chicken

2 of 2

adjective

1
as in yellow
having or showing a shameful lack of courage too chicken to go through with the stunt

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in nominal
so small or unimportant as to warrant little or no attention just concentrate on the important duties of the job and forget about the chicken stuff

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 chicken
Noun
Traditionally, the Cuban government bought staples like chicken, vegetable oil, rice, soy and corn from the United States, along with many other products. — Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 12 Oct. 2026 Fried chicken develops a deeply golden crust at the right frying temperature. — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Charlotte Observer, 12 Oct. 2026 Arby’s is putting a new spin on its cheesesteak menu, and this time, chicken is taking center stage. — Tricia Goss, Southern Living, 12 Oct. 2026 The actress Jennifer Seastone, who plays all the callers, appears on Rollerblades, or in a chicken costume. — Michael Schulman, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for chicken
Recent Examples of Synonyms for chicken
  1. coward
  2. yellow
  3. nominal
  4. afraid
  5. slight
  6. scared
  7. tiny
  8. frightened
Noun
  • There are always vultures circling, and always cowards caving.
    — Matt Calkins OutKick, FOXNews.com, 3 Oct. 2026
  • To me, moral cowards are those leaders around the world who refuse to sit down and negotiate a just and lasting peace.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 26 Sep. 2026
Definition of coward
Adjective
  • Red indicates an address is unsafe to enter, while yellow restricts use.
    — Deborah Vankin, Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2026
  • These cheery yellow flowers produce a thin, needlelike seed that is rich with oil and dense with nutrients that towhees, nuthatches, cardinals and even robins adore into January.
    — Karen Hugg, Washington Post, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of yellow
Adjective
  • That translates to literally hundreds of millions of Star Wars cards in print, so investors can easily find individual cards or complete sets for nominal prices.
    — Bob Woods, CNBC, 10 Oct. 2026
  • Diesel fuel has been setting nominal record highs – an aftereffect of rising global oil prices as well as a supply bottleneck from refineries damaged by the wars in Ukraine and Iran.
    — Natasha Chen, CNN Money, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of nominal
Adjective
  • Opt for a dark wash without rips and frays to keep the look streamlined, but don't be afraid to play with proportions and have fun with patterns and texture.
    — Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Measure What Customers Do After The Test Pick five to eight people who already trust you and aren’t afraid to tell you the truth.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of afraid
Adjective
  • The two remained locked in a tight race as early voting nears with Talarico having a slight edge in most polls.
    — Lauren Green, The Washington Examiner, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The bodice of the top was a crisp white, while the sleeves were cast in vibrant yellow, a slight nod to the bold color trend for the season.
    — Julia Teti, Footwear News, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of slight
Adjective
  • The move comes after years of criticism from animal rights advocates who charge that the horses are overworked, get easily scared and live in inadequate stables with drivers flouting city regulations.
    — Gloria Pazmino, CNN Money, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Older riders, who once sold important organs to buy in-line fours, are now too old and too scared to even care what 14,000rpm in top means on an in-line four.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of scared
Adjective
  • Commonly associated with environmental risk factors such as smoking or exposure to hazards like radon, the rare but aggressively fast-growing condition gets its name from the unusually tiny appearance of its cells.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 15 Oct. 2026
  • These tiny architects of the deep sea actively regulate microbial populations.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of tiny
Adjective
  • Discovering that your identity has been stolen can leave you feeling angry, frightened and unsure where to begin.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2026
  • In one video, a young orangutan can be seen crouching in the corner of a small, dark crate, its frightened eyes wide open.
    — Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of frightened

Phrases Containing chicken

Browse Nearby Words

chick
chicken
chickened (out)
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Cite this Entry

“Chicken.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/chicken. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

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