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
-
Over 55 here is a great 56% with an overall heavy female skew of 72%, on par with other Downton movies.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
13 Sep. 2025
-
At some point, possibly as early as several million years ago, Iberian harvester ant queens lost the ability to produce their own worker ants, which are female.—
Ashley Strickland,
CNN Money,
13 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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While saliva is your best friend during a blow job, there’s a more ladylike way to perform without spitting.—
Ian Kumamoto,
Them.,
10 Sep. 2025
-
The ladylike outfit—consisting of a square-neck, mid-sleeve, calf-length bodycon dress paired with mesh stilettos and ’90s-style sunglasses—is not only super seductive but timeless too.—
Laura Tortora,
Glamour,
14 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Distaff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distaff. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
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