as in coward
a person who shows a shameful lack of courage in the face of danger
a staunch hawk during the drumbeat for war, he proved to be a chicken when it came to actually fighting it
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in yellow
having or showing a shameful lack of courage
too chicken to go through with the stunt
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in nominal
so small or unimportant as to warrant little or no attention
just concentrate on the important duties of the job and forget about the chicken stuff
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of chicken
Ben Kesslen, Quartz, 3 June 2025
The fan-favorite item consisted of chicken, shredded lettuce and shredded cheese covered in either ranch or honey mustard, wrapped inside a warm tortilla.
—Moná Thomas, People.com, 3 June 2025
There will also be a carving station with tri-tip, barbecue chicken, hot links and pork ribs.
—Carlos Rico, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 June 2025
At Sandals’ Jerk Shacks, chefs stay true to that tradition by marinating chicken, pork, and fish in a fiery mix of Scotch bonnet peppers, thyme, and allspice, then grilling it over pimento wood.
—Sandals Resorts, AFAR Media, 2 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for chicken
Noun
Burger King and Wendy’s both rolled out chicken wraps in 2023.
—Ben Kesslen, Quartz, 3 June 2025
The fan-favorite item consisted of chicken, shredded lettuce and shredded cheese covered in either ranch or honey mustard, wrapped inside a warm tortilla.
—Moná Thomas, People.com, 3 June 2025
There will also be a carving station with tri-tip, barbecue chicken, hot links and pork ribs.
—Carlos Rico, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 June 2025
At Sandals’ Jerk Shacks, chefs stay true to that tradition by marinating chicken, pork, and fish in a fiery mix of Scotch bonnet peppers, thyme, and allspice, then grilling it over pimento wood.
—Sandals Resorts, AFAR Media, 2 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for chicken
Recent Examples of Synonyms for chicken
Noun
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Floundering in his career and stressed about planning his wedding, Yvan’s woes compound when his oldest friends turn their insults on him, calling him a coward, an amoeba and a fan of motel art.—
Emily McClanathan,
Chicago Tribune,
7 May 2025
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That’s when one coward hit me from behind with a backpack.—
Brie Stimson , Louis Casiano,
FOXNews.com,
26 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The look features bright coral eyeshadow covering the eyelid, a fuchsia shade in the crease, and a swipe of fluorescent yellow eyeliner on the outside half of the eye and right under the brow.—
Andrea Park,
Teen Vogue,
20 July 2017
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Three prominent Austin chefs teamed up with the Youngblood family to build a new restaurant from scratch that looks like a legacy chicken dinner house, down to the bright blue-and-yellow colors and the helpings of hot yeast rolls with honey.—
Bud Kennedy,
star-telegram,
19 July 2017
Adjective
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While that may seem nominal, its underlying business is more profitable.—
Ryan Baker,
CNBC,
14 June 2025
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Ethiopia is projected to lose the most aid in nominal terms, with Jordan, Afghanistan and the Democratic Republic of Congo also hit particularly hard.—
Lauren Kent,
CNN Money,
12 June 2025
Adjective
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Your soul craves experiences that deepen your understanding of the world; don’t be afraid to indulge in it.—
Valerie Mesa,
People.com,
5 June 2025
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Suspect's family detained: Wife, 5 children deportation Jewish community on edge: Amid ongoing attacks, Jewish people are afraid.—
John Bacon,
USA Today,
5 June 2025
Adjective
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In a slight twist on the usual, the chefs not only get to choose their own sous-chefs, but only those sous-chefs have been flown to Italy for the occasion.—
Caroline Framke,
Vulture,
13 June 2025
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Bure may not have meant it as a slight, but one of the more notable offenders was Growing Pains, which costarred her brother, Kirk Cameron.—
Jordan Hoffman,
EW.com,
13 June 2025
Adjective
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Mines says most of the volunteers like her were scared of getting arrested.—
Marta Martínez,
NPR,
8 June 2025
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Gina Castillo, the foundation's Rescue Director, was first alerted by a local contact about a small, scared senior dog that had been brought into a Long Beach shelter.—
Jack Beresford,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 June 2025
Adjective
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In 1972, the company switched to Smith, naming the shoes in his honor and printing a tiny picture of his mustachioed face on them.—
Sam Farmer,
Los Angeles Times,
8 June 2025
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McCartney, who played a residency at New York’s tiny Bowery Ballroom back in February, has no tour dates presently on his 2025 calendar.—
Daniel Kreps,
Rolling Stone,
8 June 2025
Adjective
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Horses are naturally skittish animals that can easily become frightened and bolt.—
Moná Thomas,
People.com,
27 May 2025
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Footage from the immediate aftermath captured mothers and fathers clutching children on their hips, running through the mist of water dousing the flames, while frightened dogs scrambled alongside them.—
Alaa Elassar,
CNN Money,
23 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Chicken.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/chicken. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.
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