: any of various globose and often edible fungi (especially family Lycoperdaceae) that discharge mature spores in a smokelike cloud when pressed or struck
Examples of puffball in a Sentence
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Sienna Miller, for one, walked the Fashion Awards red carpet in a Schiaparelli puffball skirt and a ruched, cropped shirt that swiftly became the standout look of the night.
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Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 7 Dec. 2025
Other popular species were hen of the woods, oysters, lion’s mane, black trumpet, honey mushroom, turkey tail, bolete, reishi, puffball, chaga, shrimp of the woods and Dryad’s saddle, which is also known as the pheasant’s back mushroom.
—Amy Wrobleski, The Conversation, 24 Nov. 2025
The flowers can be white, blue, purple, or pink and range from mophead (round puffballs) to lacecap to panicle (cone-shaped).
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 26 Aug. 2025
Native American cultures pressed puffball mushrooms onto wounds to halt bleeding and aid healing.
—Boutayna Chokrane, Wired News, 28 May 2025
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Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 7 Dec. 2025
Other popular species were hen of the woods, oysters, lion’s mane, black trumpet, honey mushroom, turkey tail, bolete, reishi, puffball, chaga, shrimp of the woods and Dryad’s saddle, which is also known as the pheasant’s back mushroom.
—Amy Wrobleski, The Conversation, 24 Nov. 2025
The flowers can be white, blue, purple, or pink and range from mophead (round puffballs) to lacecap to panicle (cone-shaped).
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 26 Aug. 2025
Native American cultures pressed puffball mushrooms onto wounds to halt bleeding and aid healing.
—Boutayna Chokrane, Wired News, 28 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for puffball
Cite this Entry
“Puffball.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/puffball. Accessed 17 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
puffball
noun
puff·ball
ˈpəf-ˌbȯl 
: any of various often edible globe-shaped fungi that release ripe spores in a cloud resembling smoke when they are touched
Medical Definition
puffball
noun
puff·ball
ˈpəf-ˌbȯl
: any of various globose and often edible fungi (especially family Lycoperdaceae) that discharge ripe spores in a smokelike cloud when pressed or struck
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