Synonyms of chicken

chicken 1 of 2

noun

ˈchi-kᵊn 

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

• coward
• funk
• craven
• snake
• cur
• sissy
• poltroon
• dastard
• pussy
• cream puff
• recreant
• ostrich
• defeatist
• sneak
• weakling
• wimp
• quitter
• milquetoast
• caitiff
• pushover
• scaramouch

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• hero
• stalwart
• valiant
• daredevil

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• yellow
• afraid
• scared
• frightened
• cowardly
• careful
• chickenhearted
• pusillanimous
• spineless
• craven
• milk-livered
• gutless
• dastardly
• chicken-livered
• unheroic
• poltroon
• recreant
• timid
• lily-livered
• fearful
• weak
• cautious
• timorous
• wary
• feeble
• diffident
• fainthearted
• bashful
• coy
• shy
• unmanly
• soft

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• brave
• daring
• stout
• heroic
• courageous
• hardy
• fearless
• gallant
• valiant
• intrepid
• bold
• gutsy
• stalwart
• cheeky
• brazen
• dauntless
• valorous
• audacious
• spirited
• lionhearted
• spunky
• doughty
• plucky
• stouthearted
• greathearted
• nervy
• determined
• resolute

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

• nominal
• slight
• tiny
• petty
• peanut
• pimping
• Mickey Mouse
• trivial
• minute
• piddling
• insignificant
• trifling
• negligible
• inconsequential
• niggling
• footling
• inconsiderable
• paltry
• picayune
• measly
• no-account
• de minimis
• piffling
• piddly
• little
• puny
• inferior
• imperceptible
• mean
• small-fry
• inappreciable
• one-horse
• pettifogging
• two-bit
• hairsplitting
• quibbling
• nitpicking

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• big
• important
• considerable
• significant
• substantial
• serious
• material
• outstanding
• consequential
• prominent
• striking
• remarkable
• conspicuous
• weighty
• noteworthy
• pivotal
• appreciable
• measurable
• eventful
• momentous
• discernible

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of chicken

Noun

Starting on Tuesday, August 4, the chicken chain is bringing Alabama White BBQ Sauce to menus across the country—but only while supplies last. — Molly Burford, Southern Living, 3 Aug. 2026

Rolls and Assembly Toss 2 cups shredded chicken meat (from about ½ small rotisserie chicken), 1 Tbsp. — Shilpa Uskokovic, Bon Appetit Magazine, 3 Aug. 2026

An executive nobody had heard of became a target of online attacks for the offense of trying to turn around a fading chicken and biscuits restaurant. — Nathaniel Meyersohn, CNN Money, 2 Aug. 2026

The inspector noticed some vegetables and chicken at an unsafe temperature, several gnats flying around the back room of the kitchen and rodent droppings in the dry storage area. — Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 Aug. 2026

Phrases Containing chicken

• Chicken Little
• chicken feed