CHAFF Synonyms: 139 Similar and Opposite Words

chaff 1 of 3

noun (1)

ˈchaf

Definition of chaff

as in debris

discarded or useless material there's a lot of chaff in this book, and the reader should be on the alert for it

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

chaff

2 of 3

noun (2)

as in laugh

good-natured teasing or exchanging of clever remarks I got no end of chaff about my accent when I was in the military

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chaff

3 of 3

verb

as in to tease

to make fun of in a good-natured way chaffed her about the brightly colored shirt she had received as a gift

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as in to joke

to make jokes a coworker who likes to chaff at others' expense, and this often results in hurt feelings

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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 chaff

Noun

The grain, straw, and chaff of fonio are used as fodder for ruminant animals. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 27 Mar. 2026 In these latest cuts, some of the other firings were in sales, recruiting, and Facebook, signaling that Zuckerberg is separating the chaff in non-AI related units beyond its flailing Metaverse division. — Frank Landymore, Futurism, 26 Mar. 2026 Compared with the seeds of almost every other plant, grass seed is highly palatable, especially for a dexterous ape whose hands can slough off the chaff. — Literary Hub, 25 Mar. 2026 Dyson's line is a lot to sort through, but luckily, WIRED has spent years sorting Dyson wheat from Dyson chaff. — Matthew Korfhage, Wired News, 2 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for chaff

Recent Examples of Synonyms for chaff

Noun

Rojas has witnessed two people being pulled alive from the debris, as well as the recovery of bodies.

— ABC News, ABC News, 13 Aug. 2026
Photos of the outside cemetery show flooding and floating debris.

— Dave Savini, CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026

Definition of debris

Verb

The duo took to the stage during the event and addressed the crowd in character to tease the plot of the upcoming sequel, per USA Today.

— Meg Walters, InStyle, 15 Aug. 2026
The film also stars Sadie Sink, who attended Disney’s D23 fan celebration Friday as the studio teased its X-Men plans.

— Ryan Gajewski, HollywoodReporter, 15 Aug. 2026

Definition of tease

Noun

Marcy had her hair tied up with a bow made from nylon cord and was bent over a fold-up kitchen counter rearranging wet garbage.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 11 Aug. 2026
Polls show Farage is still likely to win, but that Count Binface — a spoof candidate who wears a garbage pail on his head — may get around 20-percent of the vote.

— Lauren Frayer, NPR, 11 Aug. 2026

Definition of garbage

Noun

These relationships are all rooted in banter and talking over each other, which can start to sound very same-y and homogeneous.

— Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 13 Aug. 2026
Like that film, this new movie finds most of its sexiness in the chemistry and playful banter between its attractive stars.

— David Mack, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of banter

Verb

What everyday skills should kids practice before the first week of school?

— Ashley Lynch, Kansas City Star, 10 Aug. 2026
Running under the surface of the film is the anxiety that kids his age are lucky to secure any job, even one as low-paying and exploitative as Erika’s studio assistant.

— Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 30 July 2026

Definition of kid

Browse Nearby Words

chafes

chaff

chaffed

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Chaff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/chaff. Accessed 18 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of chaff

noun (1)

noun (2)

verb

Example Sentences

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