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
-
The injured man told them that a female friend had taken his truck and sold it to a man at a game room near East Berry Street and South Riverside Drive, police said.—
Harriet Ramos,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
9 Nov. 2025
-
Exposure 2025 was the 14th annual competition for Exposure Skate, a nonprofit organization that started out in 2012 to create opportunities for female skateboarders.—
Lonnie Burstein Hewitt,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Overall, Van Houtte detected a move away from quiet luxury and the ladylike aesthetic, with fewer neutral tones, with the exception of white.—
Joelle Diderich,
Footwear News,
16 Oct. 2025
-
Look to a prim and proper ladylike jacket instead.—
Cortne Bonilla,
Vogue,
8 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Distaff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distaff. Accessed 8 Dec. 2025.
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