fluff

1 of 2

noun

1
2
: something fluffy
dandelion fluff
3
: something inconsequential
4
: blunder
especially : an actor's lapse of memory

fluff

2 of 2

verb

fluffed; fluffing; fluffs

transitive verb

1
: to make fluffy
fluff the pillows
birds fluffing up their feathers
2
a
: to spoil by a mistake : botch
b
: to deliver badly or forget (one's lines) in a play

intransitive verb

1
: to become fluffy
2
: to make a mistake
especially : to forget or bungle one's lines in a play

Examples of fluff in a Sentence

Noun Her sweater was covered with fluff. The movie was pure fluff. Her latest article has the usual fluff about movie stars and gossip. Verb The wind fluffed his hair. The golfer fluffed another shot. The actor kept fluffing the same line. See More
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The plastic comb teeth clean up hair and fluff on plush fabrics like coats and blankets, while the rust-resistant copper blade works to scrape pills from tougher fabrics like sofa covers and rugs. Kate Oczypok, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Aug. 2023 This method for serving peaches at dessert is simple but beautiful—fresh peaches don’t need much fluff to shine. Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 6 June 2023 Drag can sometimes be wrongly cast off as entertainment for entertainment’s sake − mere fluff, Drollinger said. Anna Kaufman, USA TODAY, 29 June 2023 This one by Coop is machine-washable and fluffs right back up after coming out of the dryer, based on our tests. Erica Reagle, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Apr. 2023 Summer fluff arrives, in the form of silly reality shows on broadcast networks (Stars on Mars, anyone?) and the tediously pseudo-subversive softcore of The Idol on HBO. Time, 30 June 2023 Vacuum up the loose baking soda and fluff up carpet fibers with your fingers. goodhousekeeping.com, 28 Apr. 2023 The act of towel-drying with cotton fabric creates friction and fluffs up the hair cuticle, which can cause knots and breakage. Carolyn Twersky, Seventeen, 14 Apr. 2023 Around half of my close girlfriends don’t shave their pits anymore, and the other half don’t bat an eyelid at other people’s body fluff, either. Chiara Wilkinson, Vogue, 21 July 2023
Verb
As noted by Vogue Runway’s Nicole Phelps in her review, the cadre of bowled shags that fluffed and bobbed down Jacobs’s 29-look runway called to mind 1982’s ever-iconic Blade Runner, or more specifically replicant Pris, played by Daryl Hannah. Calin Van Paris, Vogue, 27 June 2023 After removing it from the oven, let your rice stand for five minutes, fluff it with a fork, and serve. Sharon Greenthal, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Aug. 2023 However, with down and feathers, the filling will move, and the cushions will have to be fluffed often to keep shape. Isis Briones, Men's Health, 17 Aug. 2023 Stop the dryer a few times throughout the cycle to fluff them and break up lumps by hand. Amanda Garrity, Good Housekeeping, 27 July 2023 The plastic, although wrinkled, seemed to retain its shape, and while the towel nearest the valve had the impression of the bottom of the valve, it was easily fluffed back out. Lindsay Tigar, Peoplemag, 15 Aug. 2023 Several of the options on our list are fully machine washable and dryer-safe, thanks to their shredded foam interiors that easily fluff back into shape. Jaylyn Pruitt, Health, 16 July 2023 After removing the towel, fluff the rice up with a fork. Rita Nader Heikenfeld, The Enquirer, 14 July 2023 Don’t forget to consider the little things, like the need to fluff down pillows to reshape them after use. Caron Golden, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 June 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'fluff.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

perhaps blend of flue (fluff) and puff

First Known Use

Noun

1790, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1835, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of fluff was in 1790

Dictionary Entries Near fluff

Cite this Entry

“Fluff.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fluff. Accessed 30 Sep. 2023.

Kids Definition

fluff

1 of 2 noun
1
2
: something fluffy

fluff

2 of 2 verb
: to make or become fluffy

More from Merriam-Webster on fluff

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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