Chafing — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb noun adjective /ˈchāf/ (verb) /ˈchā-fiŋ-/ (noun)

Meaning & Definition of Chafing

Chafing (verb)

  1. irritate, vex
  2. to warm by rubbing especially with the hands
  3. to rub so as to wear away, abrade

Chafing (noun)

  1. a utensil for cooking or keeping food warm at the table

Chafing (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. causing annoyance

    "learned to ignore those chafing comments that his mother-in-law was constantly making"

    similar: abrasive, aggravating, annoying, bothersome, carking, disturbing, exasperating, frustrating, galling, irksome, irritating, maddening, nettlesome, nettling, peeving, pesky, pestiferous, pestilent, pestilential, pesty, plaguey, rankling, rebarbative, riling, vexatious, vexing
    related: burdensome, discomforting, displeasing, disquieting, distressing, importunate, importune, inconveniencing, angering, enraging, infuriating, brattish, bratty, mischievous, offensive, troublesome, upsetting, distractive, painful, stressful, tiresome, troubling, trying, worrisome, biting, grating, jangling, jarring, spiny, thorny
    near: delightful, pleasing

Chafing (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to make sore by continued rubbing

    "ill-fitting boots that had badly chafed my heels"

    similar: abrading, excoriating, fretting, galling, irritating
    related: grazing, scraping, scratching, burning, inflaming, flaying, peeling, skinning

  2. to damage or diminish by continued friction

    "constant stepping on a rope will gradually chafe it, rendering it unsafe for rock climbing"

    similar: abrading, corrading, eroding, fraying, frazzling, fretting, galling, rasping, rubbing, wearing
    related: filing, gnawing, grating, grazing, grinding, nibbling, sandblasting, sandpapering, scouring, scraping, scuffing, shaving, erasing, reducing, rubbing out, wearing out, wiping (away), biting, breaking down, breaking up, chewing, corroding, decomposing, disintegrating, dissolving, eating, honing, sharpening, whetting

  3. 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"

    similar: aggravating, annoying, bothering, bugging, burning (up), eating, exasperating, frosting, galling, getting, grating, griping, hacking (off), irking, irritating, itching, narking (British), nettling, peeving, persecuting, piquing, putting out, rasping, riling, ruffling, spiting, vexing, getting one's goat, getting on one's nerves, getting to, rubbing the wrong way, setting one's teeth on edge, sticking in one's craw, wearing on
    related: hassling, heckling, nagging, inflaming, provoking, rousing, badgering, baiting, bullyragging, deviling, hagriding, harassing, harrying, pestering, plaguing, teasing, angering, antagonizing, enraging, incensing, infuriating, maddening, rankling, roiling, agitating, discomforting, discomposing, disquieting, distressing, exercising, freaking (out), fretting, perturbing, undoing, unhinging, unsettling, upsetting, worrying, affronting, insulting, miffing, offending, outraging
    near: appeasing, conciliating, mollifying, obliging, pacifying, placating, propitiating, delighting, gladdening, gratifying, pleasing, satisfying, assuring, cheering, comforting, consoling, contenting, quieting, reassuring, solacing, soothing

Related Entry: Chafe (verb)

Chafe is a different word from Chafing. The synonyms below are for chafe, not for chafing.

  1. to make sore by continued rubbing

    "ill-fitting boots that had badly chafed my heels"

    similar: abrade, excoriate, fret, gall, irritate
    related: graze, scrape, scratch, burn, inflame, flay, peel, skin

  2. to damage or diminish by continued friction

    "constant stepping on a rope will gradually chafe it, rendering it unsafe for rock climbing"

    similar: abrade, corrade, erode, fray, frazzle, fret, gall, rasp, rub, wear
    related: file, gnaw, grate, graze, grind, nibble, sandblast, sandpaper, scour, scrape, scuff, shave, erase, reduce, rub out, wear out, wipe (away), bite, break down, break up, chew, corrode, decompose, disintegrate, dissolve, eat, hone, sharpen, whet

  3. 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"

    similar: aggravate, annoy, bother, bug, burn (up), eat, exasperate, frost, gall, get, grate, gripe, hack (off), irk, irritate, itch, nark (British), nettle, peeve, persecute, pique, put out, rasp, rile, ruffle, spite, vex, get one's goat, get on one's nerves, get to, rub the wrong way, set one's teeth on edge, stick in one's craw, wear on
    related: hassle, heckle, nag, inflame, provoke, rouse, badger, bait, bullyrag, devil, hagride, harass, harry, pester, plague, tease, anger, antagonize, enrage, incense, infuriate, madden, rankle, roil, agitate, discomfort, discompose, disquiet, distress, exercise, freak (out), fret, perturb, undo, unhinge, unsettle, upset, worry, affront, insult, miff, offend, outrage
    near: appease, conciliate, mollify, oblige, pacify, placate, propitiate, delight, gladden, gratify, please, satisfy, assure, cheer, comfort, console, content, quiet, reassure, solace, soothe

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Chafing

The most common words with a similar meaning to Chafing:

British: narking
abrasive, aggravating, annoying, bothersome, carking, disturbing, exasperating, frustrating, galling, irksome, irritating, maddening, nettlesome, nettling, peeving, pesky, pestiferous, pestilent, pestilential, pesty, plaguey, rankling, rebarbative, riling, vexatious, vexing, abrading, excoriating, fretting, corrading, eroding, fraying, frazzling, rasping, rubbing, wearing, bothering, bugging, burning (up), eating

Related Words for Chafing

burdensome, discomforting, displeasing, disquieting, distressing, importunate, importune, inconveniencing, angering, enraging, infuriating, brattish, bratty, mischievous, offensive, troublesome, upsetting, distractive, painful, stressful, tiresome, troubling, trying, worrisome, biting, jangling, jarring, spiny, thorny, grazing

Near Antonyms of Chafing

delightful, pleasing, appeasing, conciliating, mollifying, obliging, pacifying, placating, propitiating, delighting, gladdening, gratifying, satisfying, assuring, cheering, comforting, consoling, contenting, quieting, reassuring, solacing, soothing

Word Forms of Chafing

Inflections: chafed

Origin & Etymology of Chafing

Middle English chaufen to warm, from Anglo-French chaufer, from Vulgar Latin *calfare, alteration of Latin calefacere, from calēre to be warm + facere to make lee, do

First known use: 14th centuryt

Words & Phrases Containing Chafing

chafing dish

Frequently Asked Questions about Chafing

What does "Chafing" mean?

"Chafing" means irritate, vex. As an a verb, a noun and an adjective, it is defined as: irritate, vex. It has 4 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Chafing"?

Other words for "Chafing" include abrasive, aggravating, annoying, bothersome, carking, disturbing, exasperating and frustrating. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Chafing" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Chafing"?

There are 153 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Chafing". Common alternatives include abrasive, aggravating, annoying, bothersome, carking, disturbing, exasperating, frustrating, galling and irksome.

How do you use "Chafing" in a sentence?

Examples of "Chafing" in a sentence: "learned to ignore those chafing comments that his mother-in-law was constantly making"; "ill-fitting boots that had badly chafed my heels"; "constant stepping on a rope will gradually chafe it, rendering it unsafe for rock climbing".

Is "Chafing" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Chafing" can be used as a verb, a noun and an adjective, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Chafing"?

"Chafing" is pronounced /ˈchāf/ as a verb and /ˈchā-fiŋ-/ as a noun.

What is the origin of the word "Chafing"?

"Chafing" comes from Middle English chaufen to warm, from Anglo-French chaufer, from Vulgar Latin *calfare, alteration of Latin calefacere, from calēre to be warm + facere to make lee, do. First known use: 14th centuryt.

What is another word for "Chafing" meaning "causing annoyance"?

When "Chafing" (adjective) means causing annoyance, synonyms include abrasive, aggravating, annoying, bothersome, carking and disturbing.