as in chip
a V-shaped cut usually on an edge or a surface with a handsaw I made a kerf in the board to mark where I needed to cut

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of kerf Mark the kerf on the end grain of a post. Paul Steiner, Popular Mechanics, 24 Mar. 2023 This reduces bowing and creates a thinner kerf, making pull saws ideal for joints and other fine woodwork. Pierre Tardif, WSJ, 3 June 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for kerf
Noun
  • That new self-sufficiency has required significant investments in AI chips for the team to train its models, though Suleyman declined to comment on the size of the team’s GPU stash.
    Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 6 Nov. 2025
  • Salon and some at-home gel manicures require a UV or LED lamp to cure the polish, resulting in a longer-lasting, chip-resistant, and shinier finish.
    Melanie Fincher, Southern Living, 6 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • The social media influencer styled a sleeveless maxidress with a short train, featuring a high neckline and a thigh-high slit.
    Julia Teti, Footwear News, 5 Nov. 2025
  • To make these adorable wine cork place cards, cut a horizontal slit across the top of the wine cork and slide in a place card.
    Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • From there, his sound became one of the most sought-after in the industry, shaping hits that blurred the lines between grit and groove.
    Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 6 Nov. 2025
  • Supernormal Andrew McConnell’s famed Melbourne institution has found its groove on the Brisbane River.
    Alli Forde, Travel + Leisure, 6 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • Developer Patrick Madden indents to bring a Wawa convenience store to the site as well as 240 apartments spread across multiple three-story buildings.
    Matthew Glowicki, The Courier-Journal, 13 July 2025
  • Unlike the grooves of a normal road wheel, its surface is almost completely smooth except for small indents, patterned differently between front and back wheel, which are designed to just slightly roughen the air, encouraging the right level of turbulent flow.
    Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 11 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Kerf.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kerf. Accessed 18 Nov. 2025.

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