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
  • 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
  • In reality, the refs just do the bidding of the cowards behind the curtain.
    — Jay Caspian Kang, New Yorker, 14 July 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
  • And many of them weren’t afraid to make that known on social media.
    — Carly Thomas, HollywoodReporter, 5 Aug. 2026
  • The logic is that if colleges are afraid to sign a player out of fear of retaliation, the player won’t receive the benefits of Judge Sweeney’s order granting the injunction.
    — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of afraid
Adjective
  • Sale appeared to have a slight hitch in his leg before starting his motion when he was called for his third career balk.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 8 Aug. 2026
  • And earlier this week, the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey for June showed a slight pickup in hiring and quits (an indicator of employee confidence) while layoffs were essentially unchanged.
    — Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of slight
Adjective
  • Lastly, to dull the war-mongering vigor of the Rivermen, Ormund installs small, scared little boys, ripped from their homes, all along the chemin de ronde — a baby human shield for Ser Daeron the Daring’s great army.
    — Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 10 Aug. 2026
  • And feeling so scared and so overwound by the idea that this was going to make or break our career.
    — Jim Ryan, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of scared
Adjective
  • The antenna is extremely lightweight, and the team miniaturized it to be both the right size and shape to fit the tiny helicopters, which sit just 6 inches (15 centimeters) above the ground at rest.
    — Chelsea Gohd, Space.com, 7 Aug. 2026
  • These tiny flies, about 1/8-inch long, are drawn to moist potting soil and decaying leaves on the soil’s surface around houseplants.
    — Leah Chester-Davis, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of tiny
Adjective
  • Use of QACs soared during the Covid-19 pandemic as frightened masses sanitized themselves and nearly everything else in sight.
    — Sandee LaMotte, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Families were frightened, communities were looking for guidance, and clinicians were desperate for answers.
    — Ronald Nahass, STAT, 6 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 13 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of chicken for Spanish Speakers

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