How to Use chafe in a Sentence

chafe

1 of 2 verb
  • The baby's skin will chafe if the strap is too tight.
  • When the strap is too tight, it chafes the baby's skin.
  • If my boots aren't laced up tight they chafe.
  • So far, the court has chafed at the prospect of such reforms.
    Justin Elliott, Joshua Kaplan and Alex Mierjeski, Anchorage Daily News, 22 June 2023
  • The upper doesn’t pinch or chafe, the laces stay tied, the tongue stays put.
    Scott Douglas, Outside Online, 22 Feb. 2021
  • Still, some in and around Sherman have chafed at the changes.
    J. David Goodman, New York Times, 14 Nov. 2023
  • Soft leather straps don’t chafe the tops of your feet and the thong won’t cause painful blistering between the toes.
    Katherine Alex Beaven, Travel + Leisure, 28 Mar. 2023
  • But Brooks has hardly been the only Trump acolyte to lately chafe at the leash.
    Alex Shephard, The New Republic, 25 Mar. 2022
  • The fabric is soft yet supportive, and the device doesn't rub or chafe against the skin.
    Lindsay Modglin, Verywell Health, 28 June 2023
  • The Session Tee is buttery smooth and won’t chafe — even at the longest distances.
    Joe Niehaus, Travel + Leisure, 13 Nov. 2023
  • Drawers, for example, should fit snugly in the crotch, be loose at the knee and not be so thick as to chafe.
    Bill Heavey, WSJ, 20 June 2021
  • Some people chafe at the idea of spending money to save money.
    Jessica Roy Assistant Editor, Los Angeles Times, 1 Jan. 2022
  • Even the straps are made with a soft fabric that does not rub, chafe, or cause irritation.
    Sherri Gordon, Health, 12 July 2023
  • The flat seams increase all-day comfort and won’t chafe under your backpack straps.
    Fiona Tapp, CNN Underscored, 26 Mar. 2021
  • Most executives are chafing at the slow pace of change, though.
    Paolo Confino, Fortune, 19 Jan. 2024
  • Trusty also chafed at having to run all of his decisions by Epshteyn first.
    Tori Otten, The New Republic, 16 June 2023
  • At first, Gurley seemed to chafe at being barred from watching the Warriors play in person.
    Jonathan Edwards, Washington Post, 14 June 2022
  • But lately there have been increasing signs that the bonds of friendship—and profit—have started to chafe a bit.
    Nathaniel Taplin, WSJ, 10 June 2022
  • There’s no need to worry about damp, bunchy socks chafing and causing blisters.
    Todd Plummer, Robb Report, 13 May 2023
  • After the two had stopped laughing, Lindahl hung up and sketched out a no-hardware bra that would stop the bouncing, wouldn't chafe, and whose straps wouldn't slip.
    Julia Martin, USA TODAY, 22 Dec. 2020
  • Adults chafe at being judged more than children do, and parental judgment stings more than judgment by strangers.
    Carolyn Hax, Washington Post, 9 Aug. 2023
  • The breathable mesh liner has also never chafed me once.
    Maverick Li, menshealth.com, 13 June 2023
  • These Sanuk sandals have neoprene straps that don’t chafe or cause any blistering, which is hard to come by with flip-flops.
    Anna Popp, Travel + Leisure, 23 Mar. 2023
  • The rehab process has been rigorous but also tedious because he’s chafed at the sheer amount of monotony.
    Eric Walden, The Salt Lake Tribune, 7 Aug. 2023
  • In the early years, farmers chafed under the rate increases.
    Coral Davenport, New York Times, 29 Dec. 2023
  • Yes, that means wearing your favorite clothes that are light, breathable, allow full range of motion, and won’t chafe late in a race.
    Brian Metzler, Outside Online, 8 July 2022
  • White House officials chafe at the suggestion that Trump faces a do-or-die moment.
    Rob Crilly, Washington Examiner, 5 Mar. 2020
  • The fuel lines on the front fuel tank may chafe against the tank, possibly resulting in a fuel leak.
    Detroit Free Press, 5 June 2021
  • Leave your lip balm, foot ointments, and chafing creams at home in lieu of this convenient, effective product.
    Alexandra Domrongchai, Travel + Leisure, 29 Mar. 2024
  • The head of the Danish Trade Union Confederation, which has 1.3 million members, chafed at how differently women and men are treated in some areas.
    Angela Charlton and Jade Le Deley, Quartz, 8 Mar. 2024
Advertisement

chafe

2 of 2 noun
  • Simply rub in the cream to any areas that may rub and glide through the world chafe-free.
    ELLE, 18 June 2022
  • Get ahead of the rub by wearing these $12 anti-chafe bands.
    Mona Gohara, Good Housekeeping, 6 July 2018
  • Not only that, the overlap cuff means no tongue to pinch, slide, or chafe.
    Wired Staff, WIRED, 31 Mar. 2018
  • On Tuesday, the first formal day of the trial, the rule was already starting to chafe.
    Emily Cochrane, New York Times, 21 Jan. 2020
  • Both kids know about the devices and agreed to wear them, though the oldest sometimes chafes at having it.
    Heather Kelly, Anchorage Daily News, 26 July 2023
  • That was the work of high school teachers; the job at the college level was simply to separate the wheat from the chafe.
    Jenny Anderson, Quartz, 13 Sep. 2019
  • The chamois is equal to any top-level insert and has kept me comfy and chafe-free for rides as long as 10 hours.
    Outside Online, 15 Aug. 2014
  • The smooth, chafe-free waistband sat tidily beneath the hipbelt of my pack.
    Kelly Bastone, Outside Online, 31 May 2018
  • But thankfully, there's a way to sort this scientific wheat from the chafe.
    John Wenz, Popular Mechanics, 28 Aug. 2019
  • Life for the gallery residents is timeless and pleasant, for the most part, though some do chafe under Lord Beaverbrook’s strict rules.
    Meghan Cox Gurdon, WSJ, 5 July 2018
  • For at least some of us in the room, the two straight days of performative big-hearted Westernness is beginning to chafe.
    Dahlia Lithwick, Slate Magazine, 22 Mar. 2017
  • Here are her tips on finding the best products to prevent chafe this summer—or any time of year when your legs just can’t seem to get enough of one another.
    Adam Hurly, Robb Report, 31 May 2023
  • The former New York City mayor has only been on the job as a member of the President's legal team for 19 days and, already, the big guy is starting to chafe.
    Chris Cillizza, CNN, 8 May 2018
  • Silicone lube also happens to be a great hair de-frizzer and chafe-blocker when applied between the thighs.
    Zoë Ligon, Allure, 14 Sep. 2017
  • The barrel swivel acts as a stopper for the sinker slide, and the bead serves as chafe protection, so the sinker slide never butts up against the knot connecting the barrel swivel.
    Joe Cermele, Field & Stream, 26 Oct. 2023
  • The hype around Ikea is counter to San Francisco’s mom-and-pop culture, which often chafes at any big corporate chains opening up shop.
    Trisha Thadani, Washington Post, 23 Aug. 2023
  • Isaly told me rub BodyGlide anti-chafe balm, not Vaseline—the petroleum breaks down a wetsuit over time—all over my forearms and calves to ease the process of getting it on and off.
    Bette Marston, SI.com, 28 July 2017
  • Product design can play a factor in chafe prevention, too.
    Adam Hurly, Robb Report, 31 May 2023
  • This stylish, nylon-spandex blend top is breathable and chafe-free — in other words, it’s made for outdoor exploration on a warm, humid day.
    Hillary Maglin, Travel + Leisure, 27 Mar. 2023
  • Ripley finds that his longtime label of libertine chafes.
    Lidija Dorjkhand, Philly.com, 25 Feb. 2018
  • Judges who are supposed to be neutral chafe at having to elicit testimony.
    Arkansas Online, 24 Apr. 2021
  • This pack is designed for women (or anyone with narrower shoulders) which means a more comfortable, chafe-free fit.
    Megan Spurrell, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Nov. 2019
  • Its highly breathable mesh fabric upper keeps feet cool, dry, and chafe-free, while the ComforDry sockliner provides cushion and drainage.
    Janna Irons, Popular Mechanics, 26 Mar. 2020
  • Abrasion-resistant seams reduce friction for chafe-free climbs while lightweight fabrics make the items more breathable.
    Anna Haines, Forbes, 27 June 2022
  • He's insisted on stiffer penalties and chafes when players deny knowingly taking PEDs in the face of positive tests.
    Scott Boeck, USA TODAY, 15 May 2018
  • Lil Dru chafes at the disrespect engendered by his short stature, proving his prowess by sinking reckless outside shots.
    Frank Scheck, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 June 2023
  • Setting aside the attachment to childhood and to the suburbs in which the Butlers’ own childhoods took place, this song has Chassagne chafe at and ultimately reject the strictures of suburban life.
    Jack Butler, National Review, 18 Aug. 2020
  • Other musts: chafe-free seams, zero wedgies, and comfortable fabrics.
    Lauren Joseph, SELF, 4 Apr. 2022
  • Namely: angry red chafe marks on your inner thighs, underarms, lower back, and bra lines caused by any combination of moisture, friction, and abrasive fabric.
    Sarah Madaus, SELF, 24 Aug. 2022
  • These lightweight performance socks feature moisture-control fabric, a ventilated upper, and comfort seams for zero chafe and blisters.
    Mike Richard, Men's Health, 20 Dec. 2022

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'chafe.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Last Updated: