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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in yellow
having or showing a shameful lack of courage
too chicken to go through with the stunt
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of chicken
Ashley Milne-Tyte, NPR, 6 Apr. 2026
Wraps, chicken tenders and more are also served.
—Kansas City Star, 6 Apr. 2026
Forgot to thaw the chicken before your mom gets home?
—Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 6 Apr. 2026
This cheesy chipotle chicken dip brings smoky heat and creamy comfort together in one irresistible bite.
—Elizabeth Nelson, Southern Living, 5 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for chicken
Noun
For people who got the chicken pox vaccine as a kid (the shots became widely available in 1995), the risk of shingles appears to be lower.
—Ashley Milne-Tyte, NPR, 6 Apr. 2026
Wraps, chicken tenders and more are also served.
—Kansas City Star, 6 Apr. 2026
Forgot to thaw the chicken before your mom gets home?
—Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 6 Apr. 2026
This cheesy chipotle chicken dip brings smoky heat and creamy comfort together in one irresistible bite.
—Elizabeth Nelson, Southern Living, 5 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for chicken
Recent Examples of Synonyms for chicken
Noun
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Time constraints once again strike here, but there’s also the fact that the movie drops the plot’s true twist — that Grace is a coward — only a few minutes before.—
Matthew Razak,
Space.com,
23 Mar. 2026
-
John Cornyn is a coward who has refused to support abolishing the filibuster to pass this bill.—
Jack Fink,
CBS News,
8 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Flavors include Superman, moose tracks, Dubai chocolate and Play Dough (bright yellow vanilla ice cream with chunks of red and blue cookie dough).—
Jenna Thompson
April 8,
Kansas City Star,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Consider the orange and yellow ‘Gold Nugget’ or the silver-haired ‘Cobweb’ varieties for an eye-catching display.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
7 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The lawsuit alleges Freeman Funeral Home accepted the baby’s remains for a nominal $500 fee but never followed through on its promise to provide him with a proper Christian burial.—
Rafael Olmeda,
Sun Sentinel,
1 Apr. 2026
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The cast of Netflix’s YA comedy XO, Kitty also tried renegotiating after Season 2 but received nominal bonuses instead, sources said.—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Don’t be afraid to wear your heart on your sleeve.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
8 Apr. 2026
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Is the economy struggling, with layoffs and wary investors afraid to lend?—
Alex Mayyasi,
NPR,
7 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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UConn came into the game as a slight underdog despite having beaten the Illini by 13 points at Madison Square Garden back in November.—
Joe Arruda,
Hartford Courant,
5 Apr. 2026
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Black One and Monoliths & Dimensions maintain a slight distance from the listener with a layer of reverb that softens the bone-crushing power of the guitars.—
Daniel Bromfield,
Pitchfork,
4 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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In many cases, people deported leave behind family members who may be too young or scared to speak because of their own undocumented status.—
Mathew Miranda,
Sacbee.com,
6 Apr. 2026
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At McWilliams Cemetery, located at West Armuchee Road and Smith Gap Road, officers found two emaciated dogs running loose — scared and hungry.—
Samantha Agate,
Miami Herald,
6 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Its tulle is brittle and sharp, brushing against my fur like a thousand tiny teeth, a cruel lover that bites with every move.—
Joshua Rothman,
New Yorker,
3 Apr. 2026
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The astronauts' cells have been placed on tiny chips and distributed throughout the capsule in an effort to understand these effects in greater detail.—
Brendan Byrne,
NPR,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Chesney became frightened, scaled the enclosure wall and hopped over the fence.—
Taylor Ardrey,
USA Today,
1 Apr. 2026
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The team caught up with Chesney on Wednesday and again Thursday night, but Johnson said the frightened kangaroo slipped away — once by jumping into a cold river — and Johnson lost track on the drone.—
John O'Connor,
Fortune,
30 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Chicken.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/chicken. Accessed 9 Apr. 2026.
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