as in petticoat
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Recent Examples of distaff
And then Grisebach uses that distaff twist once again, to comment more broadly on the patriarchal nature and gendered violence of power structures corrupted by historical conflict.
—
Jessica Kiang, Variety, 22 May 2026
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
Jessica Kiang, Variety, 22 May 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for distaff
Adjective
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Last month, a Santa Monica man, also unaffiliated with the university, was charged with kidnapping a female UCLA student in March to try to rape her.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
30 May 2026
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The male and female Islanders are split up for a week, with half being sent to a whole other villa as new contestants are brought in, aiming to couple up the Islanders.—
Carolyn Burt,
Oc Register,
29 May 2026
Adjective
-
In 2006, The New York Times interviewed fashion figures who griped about the costumes, which comprised head-to-toe Chanel outfits and ladylike coats for Anne Hathaway as Miranda’s hapless assistant Andy, and several enormous furs and aviator frames for Miranda.—
Rachel Tashjian,
CNN Money,
30 Apr. 2026
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Long, layered pendants and strands of pearls work well with both knits and ladylike jackets, as seen here.—
Christina Holevas,
Vogue,
26 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Distaff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distaff. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
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