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
Jonathan Franzen, New Yorker, 1 June 2026
To become diners’ first option, McDonald’s plans to focus on menu innovation that elevates taste and quality, like improvements to its McCrispy chicken line.
—Amelia Lucas, CNBC, 1 June 2026
New York’s famous Atomic Wings are back in Texas, this time with a much better restaurant that showcases the first-rate chicken.
—Bud Kennedy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 June 2026
The program has expanded to include guinea pigs, chickens, doves, goats, turtles and rabbits.
—ABC News, 31 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for chicken
Noun
Once the whiskey was flowing, Louanne burned the chicken and Dean misplaced his appetite.
—Jonathan Franzen, New Yorker, 1 June 2026
To become diners’ first option, McDonald’s plans to focus on menu innovation that elevates taste and quality, like improvements to its McCrispy chicken line.
—Amelia Lucas, CNBC, 1 June 2026
New York’s famous Atomic Wings are back in Texas, this time with a much better restaurant that showcases the first-rate chicken.
—Bud Kennedy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 June 2026
The program has expanded to include guinea pigs, chickens, doves, goats, turtles and rabbits.
—ABC News, 31 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for chicken
Recent Examples of Synonyms for chicken
Noun
-
And, in a way, this coward is the only sane one.—
Jordan Hoffman,
Entertainment Weekly,
29 May 2026
-
These are American cowards that are rooting against our Country.—
Khaled Wassef,
CBS News,
13 May 2026
Adjective
-
Crossed spears of sunlight fall into it but only so far, and beneath their yellow illuminations Brith can see depths and more depths of water, darkening to obscurity.—
Maggie O’Farrell,
Literary Hub,
2 June 2026
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In a burst of primary color and trompe l’oeil trickery, five dice—red, yellow, blue, green, white—are suspended against a maroon field densely latticed with dice shapes, the cubes appearing simultaneously to lie stationary on its pip-stippled surface and to tumble downward through space.—
James Quandt,
Artforum,
2 June 2026
Adjective
-
Israeli forces seized a 12th-century Crusader castle in southern Lebanon, as Israel intensifies its farthest incursion into the country in 26 years, despite a nominal ceasefire.—
Brendan Ruberry,
semafor.com,
31 May 2026
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Achraf Hakimi, despite his nominal position, rarely plays on the right or at the back, and instead is often high and central as an extra midfielder and to provide the right-winger with underlapping runs.—
Liam Tharme,
New York Times,
31 May 2026
Adjective
-
Unlike the coolly impassive Pop artists, the Who weren’t afraid to get personal, or to let their art echo the anxious, kinky, maladjusted yammering in their own heads.—
Jeremy Lybarger,
Artforum,
2 June 2026
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Meanwhile, aggressive immigration enforcement has made some people afraid to seek care at all, worsening public health outcomes.—
Daniela Flores,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
2 June 2026
Adjective
-
The finish is short, with lingering notes of citrus, pepper, and a slight mineral edge.—
Joseph V Micallef,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2026
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That slight tweak—far from the grandiose promise of political revolution—might find power in the voters’ verdict.—
Philip Elliott,
Time,
30 May 2026
Adjective
-
Essentially, for all of the offense’s success during a surprising 2025 season, defenses still weren’t scared of the Patriots.—
Chad Graff,
New York Times,
1 June 2026
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The exchanges, which take place at the children’s school in Southern California, leave her scared and depressed for days.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
29 May 2026
Adjective
-
From the train windows, expect to spot the aquamarine waves of Ligurian Sea crashing against the stony coast, candy-colored houses huddled together on the hillsides, tiny wooden boats gliding through village harbors, and flecks of golden-sand beaches.—
Jessica Puckett,
Condé Nast Traveler,
5 June 2026
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Tribby, of Miles City, noted that, absent a court ruling that defines the legality of corner crossing in Montana, the PLPW council should consider access corridors rather than single-point access to a tiny corner that might be on a steep sidehill or monumented by a tree.—
Andrew McKean,
Outdoor Life,
4 June 2026
Adjective
-
The frightened cat curled up along the shoulder of the freeway when it was seen, according to the Michigan Humane.—
Paula Wethington,
CBS News,
27 May 2026
-
The Americans in that Nebraska unit are isolated and frightened.—
Craig Spencer,
STAT,
13 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Chicken.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/chicken. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.
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