as in irritating
causing annoyance
learned to ignore those chafing comments that his mother-in-law was constantly making
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in scratching
to make sore by continued rubbing
ill-fitting boots that had badly chafed my heels
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in wearing
to damage or diminish by continued friction
constant stepping on a rope will gradually chafe it, rendering it unsafe for rock climbing
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in annoying
to disturb the peace of mind of (someone) especially by repeated disagreeable acts
nothing chafes us so much as those telemarketers who call during the dinner hour
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for chafing
Adjective
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Going Overboard with Outdoor Lighting Light pollution can be just as irritating as that dog down the street who barks like clockwork for 30 minutes every night.—
Patricia Shannon,
Southern Living,
29 Mar. 2025 -
New York, though, continued to use its newfound abilities to turn defense into offense with the irritating McBride starting in place of Brunson.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
13 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Similar to a sheet pan, whole meals can be built in a Dutch oven, scratching that same itch for convenience and less clean up.—
Alana Al-Hatlani,
Southern Living,
23 Dec. 2024
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But that’s just scratching the surface – addressing only the symptoms of the underlying challenges and only addressing them at the end of the SDLC process.—
Jeremy Vaughan,
Forbes,
23 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Other non-native ephemerals, such as lesser celandine, are more annoying and more recent arrivals.—
Carl R. Gold,
Baltimore Sun,
30 Mar. 2025
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Going on a first date while an unnamed, unseen troll pings you personal memes that escalate from annoying to homicidal?—
Charley Ross,
Glamour,
29 Mar. 2025
Verb
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The Heat’s decision to suspend Butler marks the latest turning point in an obviously eroding relationship.—
James Jackson,
The Athletic,
3 Jan. 2025
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These measures, intended to reduce systemic financial risks, inadvertently triggered a liquidity crisis, leaving developers unable to complete projects and further eroding consumer confidence.—
Dan Perry,
Newsweek,
3 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Rodin Cars The big idea behind Rodin is to build cars without bothering about vehicle regulations – in stark contrast to F1 cars, which are subject to several rules around how they're put together.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
2 Jan. 2025
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The city and state have also been ramping up efforts to engage troubled vagrants sleeping and sometimes bothering straphangers, connecting them with services and shelter and potentially involuntary treatment.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
27 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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For many people, these medications provide a way out of the frustrating cycle of dieting and regaining weight.—
Rowan Briggs,
Mercury News,
3 Apr. 2025
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Those interest rates matter, because of the frustrating math of inflation.—
Daniel de Visé,
USA Today,
3 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Neither mentioned the constitutional spending cap, a measure designed to ensure fiscal responsibility that many economists blame for the fraying state of Germany's infrastructure.—
Fox News,
Fox News,
16 Dec. 2024
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And cheaper polo belts are stitched with shorter pieces of thread which will unravel over time, creating a fraying effect—but the best quality belts are stitched from longer pieces of thread which won’t unravel.—
Todd Plummer,
Robb Report,
6 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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Other times, Claude’s mental activity seems super disturbing and maybe even dangerous.—
Steven Levy,
Wired News,
28 Mar. 2025
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Just as disturbing and bizarre, at least one juror originally didn’t want to convict Zeigler at all and didn’t vote to do so until after that same judge ordered the bailiff to give her a Valium.—
Scott Maxwell,
The Orlando Sentinel,
26 Mar. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Chafing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/chafing. Accessed 14 Apr. 2025.
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