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
Fried rice, egg rolls, noodles and chicken, beef and pork dishes. — Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Aug. 2026 Meanwhile, Chick-fil-A has wholesome kids straight out of a church service choir serving up chicken nuggets with love. — Joe Kinsey Outkick, FOXNews.com, 10 Aug. 2026 And over at the Island Noodles booth, owner Parker Lake, who is Hawaiian by birth, stirred up huge vats of teriyaki chicken noodles in a flaming wok. — John Ramos, CBS News, 10 Aug. 2026 Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the chicken reaches 165°F internally and the corn is crisp-tender. — ABC News, 10 Aug. 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
  • To me, the most notable change — outside of Robert not getting fully naked, you cowards — is that the meltdown is witnessed by much more of the senior class.
    — Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 13 Aug. 2026
  • The mythmaking rebellion of Tekena, first of her name, for the sake of a coward’s love was as recognizable to her descendants as their need to cross borders, both ethnic and geographic, in search of a happiness that wasn’t promised.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of coward
Adjective
  • Kash explains that turmeric contains a specific type of polyphenol called curcumin, which is known for its anti-inflammatory properties (and is what gives the spice its bright yellow color).
    — Marie Bladt, Vogue, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Reuters footage from the aftermath showed yellow trucks mounted on sheets of concrete, as survivors sifted through grey debris.
    — Sana Noor Haq, CNN Money, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of yellow
Adjective
  • Rather than source a direct, probably expensive, replacement in the market, Carrick fielded a fluid front four on Saturday, with Bryan Mbeumo deputising as the nominal forward.
    — Conor O'Neill, New York Times, 9 Aug. 2026
  • United Russia, the country’s nominal ruling party, was never built to designate an heir; rather, it was meant to ensure that elections produced reliably pro-regime seat-fillers in institutions such as parliament.
    — Julian G. Waller, Foreign Affairs, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of nominal
Adjective
  • So my encouragement to young Latino artists out there is to keep creating and don’t be afraid of creating.
    — Julyssa Lopez, Rolling Stone, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Not afraid of breaking tradition, Morgan and Jezzel decided to find their wedding gowns together and made eight salon visits in two weeks.
    — Shelby Wax, Vogue, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of afraid
Adjective
  • Nashville was a slight favorite at kickoff, but Miami fielded a stellar starting lineup that included Sergio Reguilón, Casemiro, Rodrigo De Paul, Luis Suárez and Messi.
    — Dean Jones, New York Times, 16 Aug. 2026
  • At the slightest security alert, every point along the route can be brought to a standstill.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of slight
Adjective
  • Stokes was scared to be seen in public talking about the case, worried about poor treatment from law enforcement and the potential for retribution.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Hospitals and healthcare workers are already reporting growing staffing concerns, as many workers are scared to leave their homes for fear of being targeted by ICE.
    — Nancy Hagans, New York Daily News, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of scared
Adjective
  • Trade along the route remains tiny compared with major throughways like the Suez Canal and is dominated by Russian oil and gas, which – along with a few other LNG buyers in Asia – principally flow to China.
    — Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026
  • The amount of neutrino energy absorbed by the companion star, however, would be only a tiny fraction of the amount of energy the star emits on its own, so again, this is likely to have little effect.
    — Phil Plait, Scientific American, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of tiny
Adjective
  • Officers initially discovered more than 30 cats and kittens living in unsafe conditions aboard the vessel, with many appearing frightened and malnourished.
    — Michael Sinkewicz, FOXNews.com, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Think of yourself as the captain of your ship versus one frightened passenger, the conductor instead of one instrument in the orchestra or the CEO rather than one anxious shareholder in the boardroom.
    — Bryan Robinson, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of frightened

Phrases Containing chicken

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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 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of chicken for Spanish Speakers

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