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

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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 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for kerf
Noun
  • In August, the president announced a deal between the federal government and Nvidia, allowing the American chip producer to sell advanced semiconductors to Chinese buyers in exchange for a 15% cut of the profits.
    Christian Datoc, The Washington Examiner, 12 Sep. 2025
  • Cadence has expanded this technology beyond chip design towards creating digital twins of data centers including all the functional components.
    Thomas Coughlin, Forbes.com, 12 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The frock featured a soft, angular neckline along with a thigh-high slit and large bow.
    Julia Teti, Footwear News, 10 Sep. 2025
  • The slit lamp is a specialized microscope with a bright light that creates a thin, intense beam to illuminate the eye.
    Lindsay Curtis, Health, 10 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Terry McLaurin is still trying to find his groove after a long-running holdout with the front office.
    Kevin McCormick, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Sep. 2025
  • The board also has a small groove to catch juices.
    Nora Colomer may earn a commission if you buy through our referral links. This content was created by a team that works independently from the Fox newsroom., FOXNews.com, 10 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Developer Patrick Madden indents to bring a Wawa convenience store to the site as well as 240 apartments spread across multiple three-story buildings.
    Matthew Glowicki, The Courier-Journal, 13 July 2025
  • Unlike the grooves of a normal road wheel, its surface is almost completely smooth except for small indents, patterned differently between front and back wheel, which are designed to just slightly roughen the air, encouraging the right level of turbulent flow.
    Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 11 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Kerf.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kerf. Accessed 14 Sep. 2025.

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