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
There’s also a chicken cutlet sandwich called the Australian. — Arati Menon, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 Nov. 2026 Fajita chicken held at 88 degrees in a container on flat top grill. — Arkansas Online, 2 Nov. 2026 Customers can expect seasonal items such as pumpkin spice cold brew and Dutch apple cheesecake waffles, as well as avocado toast, burgers and chicken sandwiches, mac and cheese, and more. — Heidi Finley, Charlotte Observer, 2 Nov. 2026 In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, then add in the chicken broth and whisk again to combine. — Candy Hom, AJC.com, 2 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
  • In the egg-yolk yellow kitchen, a fresh loaf of sourdough was sitting pretty on the chopping board for us; organic eggs and marmalade on the counter; Daylesford butter, bacon, and rosé in the fridge.
    — Sarah James, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Nov. 2026
  • Then, needing to recover an onside kick, the Tar Heels actually came away with it — until a yellow flag was seen on the turf.
    — Scott Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 1 Nov. 2026
Definition of yellow
Adjective
  • The latest cells can retain around 90 percent of their nominal capacity at temperatures as low as -40°C (-40°F), outperforming conventional lithium-ion chemistries, particularly LFP.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 1 Nov. 2026
  • Recordings averaged six hours and 38 minutes, roughly half a battery’s nominal life, the report said.
    — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 28 Oct. 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 9 Nov. 2026.

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