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

Relevance

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 Make the first pass on all four posts, adjust the saw’s fence, and then make additional passes until the kerfs are formed. Paul Steiner, Popular Mechanics, 24 Mar. 2023 Next, cut kerfs for the splines in the corner posts and side pieces. Paul Steiner, Popular Mechanics, 24 Mar. 2023 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 Begin by ripping and crosscutting the shelves, the sides, the bottom and the top panel from red-oak plywood with a 40-tooth thin-kerf blade in a circular saw. Joseph Truini, Popular Mechanics, 26 Sep. 2020 The thin-kerf chain (its teeth are 3/32-inch wide) zips through each cut with smoothness and precision. Roy Berendson, Popular Mechanics, 18 Mar. 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for kerf
Noun
  • Rare earth is part of this story, as is AI, chip making, tariffs, the dollar as reserve currency… the list goes on and on.
    Clem Chambers, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025
  • In May, Huang said chip restrictions had already cut Nvidia’s China market share nearly in half.
    Dylan Butts, CNBC, 14 July 2025
Noun
  • These white jeans that come in a classic straight-leg style and have a breezy side slit.
    Nicol Natale, People.com, 11 July 2025
  • When approaching a sea turtle egg, the ghost crab will snip a distinctive slit into eggshells.
    Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 10 July 2025
Noun
  • Shaky and tired from the start, Anisimova never found a groove or a wind.
    Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 12 July 2025
  • Our favorite style is made of maple wood and has a handy juice groove to spare your countertop from any drippings.
    Alaina Chou, Bon Appetit Magazine, 11 July 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Kerf.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kerf. Accessed 25 Jul. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!