as in chip
a V-shaped cut usually on an edge or a surface with a handsaw I made a kerf in the board to mark where I needed to cut

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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 kerf Make the first pass on all four posts, adjust the saw’s fence, and then make additional passes until the kerfs are formed. Paul Steiner, Popular Mechanics, 24 Mar. 2023 Next, cut kerfs for the splines in the corner posts and side pieces. Paul Steiner, Popular Mechanics, 24 Mar. 2023 Mark the kerf on the end grain of a post. Paul Steiner, Popular Mechanics, 24 Mar. 2023 This reduces bowing and creates a thinner kerf, making pull saws ideal for joints and other fine woodwork. Pierre Tardif, WSJ, 3 June 2021 Begin by ripping and crosscutting the shelves, the sides, the bottom and the top panel from red-oak plywood with a 40-tooth thin-kerf blade in a circular saw. Joseph Truini, Popular Mechanics, 26 Sep. 2020 The thin-kerf chain (its teeth are 3/32-inch wide) zips through each cut with smoothness and precision. Roy Berendson, Popular Mechanics, 18 Mar. 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for kerf
Noun
  • Ultimately, on-device chips [often associated with edge computing, or processors built into devices like smartphones, home appliances, etc] are becoming powerful enough to run AI models and can ensure data privacy.
    Evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 28 May 2025
  • Goldman Sachs, in a 2024 report, estimated that companies would invest $1 trillion in AI infrastructure — including data centers, chips and the power grid — in the coming years.
    Ryan Faughnder, Los Angeles Times, 28 May 2025
Noun
  • In the video circulated by TMZ, Lovato wore a strapless bridal gown with a dramatic thigh slit while the groom was decked out in a black tuxedo.
    Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 25 May 2025
  • In 2020, burglars crept into his game-farm, slit open a leather sofa, and disappeared with bundles of undeclared U.S. dollars—leaving the head of state, a Black farmer, both a victim of crime and a symbol of murky governance.
    Sizwe Mpofu Walsh, Time, 23 May 2025
Noun
  • The Golden State Valkyries finally found their groove.
    Nathan Canilao, Mercury News, 24 May 2025
  • The item has a surface decorated with transverse grooves.
    Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 22 May 2025
Noun
  • The core materials were then mixed with oats and water and pressed into molds with bubble-like indents and rough line patterns.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 4 Apr. 2025
  • The Honda sustained damage to its front passenger side, and the Outback had an indent to its front driver-side bumper.
    Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 27 Mar. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Kerf.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kerf. Accessed 1 Jun. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!