as in petticoat
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Recent Examples of distaff
An Elm Drive victory would give trainer Phil D’Amato a very successful weekend on the distaff side of the ledger.
—
Bill Center, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Sep. 2021
The personal rivalries on the distaff side became apparent during the transition: When the Bushes won, Nancy did not invite Barbara to tour the living quarters until January 11 — much later than was traditional.
—NBC News, 21 Apr. 2018
Even if a separate, distaff canon is built, the atmosphere against which it’s being constructed is, gradually, becoming more integrated.
—Wesley Morris, New York Times, 5 Oct. 2017
And behind the camera, Scherfig has created something of a distaff utopia: both the book and the screenplay were written by women.
—Richard Lawson, VanityFair.com, 6 Apr. 2017
Bill Center, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Sep. 2021
The personal rivalries on the distaff side became apparent during the transition: When the Bushes won, Nancy did not invite Barbara to tour the living quarters until January 11 — much later than was traditional.
—NBC News, 21 Apr. 2018
Even if a separate, distaff canon is built, the atmosphere against which it’s being constructed is, gradually, becoming more integrated.
—Wesley Morris, New York Times, 5 Oct. 2017
And behind the camera, Scherfig has created something of a distaff utopia: both the book and the screenplay were written by women.
—Richard Lawson, VanityFair.com, 6 Apr. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for distaff
Adjective
-
At 35 years old, the younger Williams won her 23rd Grand Slam singles title in 2017 - the oldest female player to accomplish that feat.—
Alana Wise,
NPR,
14 Aug. 2025
-
The first female students came to classrooms when classes started at the school Aug. 7.—
Lillian Metzmeier,
The Courier-Journal,
14 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Bridal whites are a relatively new addition to Selena Gomez’s style lexicon; but Gomez has long been crafting a ladylike, refined, elegant aesthetic.—
Anna Cafolla,
Vogue,
10 Aug. 2025
-
Dakota opted for an oversized white silk shirt worn open and over a silk v-neck top, with flowing black pants and a ladylike boxy handbag.—
Anna Cafolla,
Vogue,
16 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Distaff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distaff. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.
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