as in petticoat
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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
-
Carroll, Miss Cheerleader USA as a teen, became a journalist, author and the first female editor at Esquire, Playboy and Outside magazine.—
Jill Goldsmith,
Deadline,
22 May 2026
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Aside from her affinity for floral chintz and maximal pairings, Sister Parish, born Dorothy May Kinnicutt in 1910 and nicknamed Sister by her brothers, was also known as a female trailblazer at a time when women couldn’t even open a bank account without their husband’s signature.—
Sofia Celeste,
Footwear News,
22 May 2026
Adjective
-
In 2006, The New York Times interviewed fashion figures who griped about the costumes, which comprised head-to-toe Chanel outfits and ladylike coats for Anne Hathaway as Miranda’s hapless assistant Andy, and several enormous furs and aviator frames for Miranda.—
Rachel Tashjian,
CNN Money,
30 Apr. 2026
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Long, layered pendants and strands of pearls work well with both knits and ladylike jackets, as seen here.—
Christina Holevas,
Vogue,
26 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Distaff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distaff. Accessed 23 May. 2026.
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