chafe Synonyms & Antonyms
Choose a meaning, then find a word that fits your sentence.
Chafe as a Noun
Heat excited by friction.
Injury or wear caused by friction.
Vexation; irritation of mind; rage.
An expression of opinionated conflict.
Chafe as a Verb
To excite heat in by friction; to rub in order to stimulate and make warm.
To excite passion or anger in; to fret; to irritate.
To fret and wear by rubbing.
to chafe a cable
To rub; to come together so as to wear by rubbing; to wear by friction.
To be worn by rubbing.
A cable chafes.
To have a feeling of vexation; to be vexed; to fret; to be irritated.
Chafe in a Sentence
to chafe a cable
A cable chafes.
Word Forms & Grammar
chafe (countable and uncountable, plural chafes)
chafe (third-person singular simple present chafes, present participle chafing, simple past and past participle chafed)
Words That Rhyme With Chafe
Origin of Chafe
Inherited from Middle English chaufen (“to warm”), borrowed from Old French chaufer (modern French chauffer), from Latin calefacere, calfacere (“to make warm”), from calere (“to be warm”) + facere (“to make”). See caldron.
Chafe at a Glance
| Part of speech | noun, verb |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | //t͡ʃeɪf// |
| Syllables | 1 |
| Meaning | Heat excited by friction |
| Plural | chafes |
| Verb forms | chafes, chafing, chafed |
How to Pronounce Chafe
The standard pronunciation of chafe is //t͡ʃeɪf//, spoken in 1 syllable.
Common Questions About Chafe
Is chafe a noun or a verb?
Chafe is mainly used as a noun, but it can also be used as a verb.
What is the plural of chafe?
The plural of chafe is chafes.
What is the past tense of chafe?
The past tense of chafe is chafed. The present participle is chafing.