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
Thai chili sauce and ponzu turn it into a sticky glaze for the chicken. — Olivia Tarantino, Bon Appetit Magazine, 10 Nov. 2026 The menu has a signature beef wellington, premium steaks and a butter chicken pot pie. — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 Nov. 2026 Our favorite solution for prepping perfect turkey — or chicken, or ham, or marinated tofu — for gatherings of any size? — Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 10 Nov. 2026 Jacob Hoang, former UCSD Costco Club president, ate an entire rotisserie chicken on campus to celebrate his big box loyalty. — Kara Finnstrom, CBS News, 10 Nov. 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
  • How could anyone in the military support a repulsive, draft-dodging coward who called dead soldiers suckers and losers?
    — Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 30 Oct. 2026
  • Some called them cowards; others opted for more colorful language.
    — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of coward
Adjective
  • Important this year is the image of the brilliant yellow daffodil, of which the city plans to plant 250,000 bulbs in the coming months.
    — John Ramos, CBS News, 8 Nov. 2026
  • This fungus is brilliant yellow and is easy to spot on dead wood.
    — Pamm Cooper, Hartford Courant, 8 Nov. 2026
Definition of yellow
Adjective
  • While this milestone drew headlines, nominal dollar numbers are the wrong metric to focus on in connection with fiscal matters.
    — Steve H. Hanke, Fortune, 7 Nov. 2026
  • Deflation and weak corporate profitability are already eroding China’s fiscal revenues, which have basically been flat in nominal terms since 2019.
    — Oliver Melton, Foreign Affairs, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of nominal
Adjective
  • Trump notched some significant wins, like the end of the old asylum system and a suite of progressive tax cuts, which Democrats are afraid to run against.
    — David Weigel, semafor.com, 4 Nov. 2026
  • On November 1, King Charles was left umbrella-less in a torrential downpour in Antigua and Barbuda—and wasn’t afraid to show his frustration.
    — Rachel Burchfield, InStyle, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of afraid
Adjective
  • Davis held a slight lead Wednesday, and the race between Murphy and Democratic challenger Raymond Smith was particularly close.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 5 Nov. 2026
  • The slight gap between the two candidates doesn’t bode well for Bass, since Raman is expected to secure a larger portion of the late-arriving ballots in the coming days.
    — Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of slight
Adjective
  • Stiven said his wife feels scared and doesn't want to leave their home, but the couple wants to share what happened to her for one reason.
    — Dawn White, CBS News, 6 Nov. 2026
  • Otherwise the public realm will grow safer in exactly the wrong way — because people are too scared to use it.
    — Justin Davidson, Curbed, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of scared
Adjective
  • In the evening, the low-slung space fills with locals seeking Liebster's famous tiny hasselback potatoes topped with trout roe, and buttery brioche with Parmesan cream, mortadella and clams.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Nov. 2026
  • As Earth plows through the debris streams, tiny particles slam into our atmosphere at 65,000 miles per hour (104,607 kilometers per hour), producing dazzling streaks of light across the night sky.
    — Anthony Wood, Space.com, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of tiny
Adjective
  • Defense challenges claims of disruption Sabatini sought to undermine the university’s account by distinguishing between students feeling frightened and actual interruptions to academic activities.
    — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Trust is how that knowledge reaches the next child, and the next frightened mother.
    — Michelle A. Williams, Chicago Tribune, 29 Oct. 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 12 Nov. 2026.

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