as in cowards
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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Recent Examples of chickens
Bird flu, a highly contagious airborne respiratory virus, affects poultry — including chickens, ducks and turkeys — and some wild bird species, including geese and shorebirds, the department said.
—
Laura Fay, CBS News, 11 Jan. 2026
The chickens and cows Mills owns live in his backyard.
—Abigail Hasebroock, Sun Sentinel, 10 Jan. 2026
The circulating bird flu has been confirmed in the Bay State, as agricultural officials report that backyard chickens tested positive for the disease and were killed.
—Rick Sobey, Boston Herald, 9 Jan. 2026
The Detroit native also praised Rock's property, calling the home paradise as the beauty influencer lives on a lush land complete with chickens, peacocks and an assortment of roaming farm animals.
—Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 9 Jan. 2026
The property owner told investigators Mathis had been working at the residence but denied ownership of the dogs, identifying Mathis as the owner of the chickens and roosters.
—Jacob Beltran, San Antonio Express-News, 5 Jan. 2026
Large cuts of meat like ham, standing rib roast, and a whole turkey will obviously need larger cooking vessels, while small whole chickens, tenderloins, and the like can utilize large skillets and even some specialized cookware (looking at you, paella pan).
—Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 31 Dec. 2025
Is something going at the chickens?
—David Searcy, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
For Barr, the chickens became a daily source of delight during a period of deep loss and isolation.
—Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Nov. 2025
Laura Fay, CBS News, 11 Jan. 2026
The chickens and cows Mills owns live in his backyard.
—Abigail Hasebroock, Sun Sentinel, 10 Jan. 2026
The circulating bird flu has been confirmed in the Bay State, as agricultural officials report that backyard chickens tested positive for the disease and were killed.
—Rick Sobey, Boston Herald, 9 Jan. 2026
The Detroit native also praised Rock's property, calling the home paradise as the beauty influencer lives on a lush land complete with chickens, peacocks and an assortment of roaming farm animals.
—Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 9 Jan. 2026
The property owner told investigators Mathis had been working at the residence but denied ownership of the dogs, identifying Mathis as the owner of the chickens and roosters.
—Jacob Beltran, San Antonio Express-News, 5 Jan. 2026
Large cuts of meat like ham, standing rib roast, and a whole turkey will obviously need larger cooking vessels, while small whole chickens, tenderloins, and the like can utilize large skillets and even some specialized cookware (looking at you, paella pan).
—Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 31 Dec. 2025
Is something going at the chickens?
—David Searcy, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
For Barr, the chickens became a daily source of delight during a period of deep loss and isolation.
—Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for chickens
cowards
Noun
-
He and the cowards of Congress should be held accountable in the next election cycle.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
11 Jan. 2026
-
Tim Walz and Jacob Frey are cowards who are inciting violence to distract from their own failures.—
Alex Derosier,
Twin Cities,
7 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Chickens.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/chickens. Accessed 19 Jan. 2026.
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