as in petticoat
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
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 distaff
An Elm Drive victory would give trainer Phil D’Amato a very successful weekend on the distaff side of the ledger.
—
Bill Center, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Sep. 2021
The personal rivalries on the distaff side became apparent during the transition: When the Bushes won, Nancy did not invite Barbara to tour the living quarters until January 11 — much later than was traditional.
—NBC News, 21 Apr. 2018
Even if a separate, distaff canon is built, the atmosphere against which it’s being constructed is, gradually, becoming more integrated.
—Wesley Morris, New York Times, 5 Oct. 2017
And behind the camera, Scherfig has created something of a distaff utopia: both the book and the screenplay were written by women.
—Richard Lawson, VanityFair.com, 6 Apr. 2017
Bill Center, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Sep. 2021
The personal rivalries on the distaff side became apparent during the transition: When the Bushes won, Nancy did not invite Barbara to tour the living quarters until January 11 — much later than was traditional.
—NBC News, 21 Apr. 2018
Even if a separate, distaff canon is built, the atmosphere against which it’s being constructed is, gradually, becoming more integrated.
—Wesley Morris, New York Times, 5 Oct. 2017
And behind the camera, Scherfig has created something of a distaff utopia: both the book and the screenplay were written by women.
—Richard Lawson, VanityFair.com, 6 Apr. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for distaff
Adjective
-
The report also noted that two separate client groups from Blackbird Mountain Guides — one a group of female friends with two guides, the other a trio of men with two guides — had been combined into a party of 15 for the trip out to the Castle Peak Snowpark trailhead beside I-80.—
Ethan Baron,
Mercury News,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Hegseth has fired numerous senior military officers and generals, many of them female or Black, leading some critics to question whether their race or gender contributed to their firing.—
Cybele Mayes-Osterman,
USA Today,
3 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Long, layered pendants and strands of pearls work well with both knits and ladylike jackets, as seen here.—
Christina Holevas,
Vogue,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Whereas these very ladylike mules would still be quite cute with jeans and a T-shirt, an outfit in the same black and white theme takes things to another level.—
Alison Syrett Cleary,
InStyle,
14 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Distaff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distaff. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
