fluff

noun \ ˈfləf \

Definition of fluff

1 :⁷down 1

2 :something fluffy

dandelion fluff

3 :something inconsequential

4 :blunder; especially :an actor's lapse of memory

See fluff defined for English-language learners

See fluff defined for kids

Examples of fluff in a Sentence

Her sweater was covered with fluff.
The movie was pure fluff.
Her latest article has the usual fluff about movie stars and gossip.

Recent Examples of fluff from the Web

A ball of blond fluff jumps up and steals one of my cookies.

— allison p. davis, The Cut, "Lisa Vanderpump Is the Royalty America Craves," 23 Aug. 2017
Having made her debut, the soft-feathered bundle of fluff stayed put for an additional day before being transferred to a smaller hatchling-friendly enclosure.

— ryan p. smith, Smithsonian, "Conservationists Hatch a Kiwi Cutie-Pie," 9 Aug. 2017
To achieve curls of planetary proportions, throw out your frizz-prevention rulebook and embrace the fluff.

— lauren hubbard, Harper's BAZAAR, "10 Easy Halloween Costumes That Are All About The Hairstyle," 17 July 2017
The $214 million the administration just cut is an investment against that massive number and a way to decrease it—not some superficial fluff in a budget.

— krystin arneson, Glamour, "The Trump Administration Just Quietly Cut $214 Million From Teen Birth Control Programs," 16 July 2017
Kevin Ollie wasn't beating around the bush, didn't give me any kind of fluff.

— dom amore, courant.com, "Ollie Wins Over Junior College Transfer Kwintin Williams For UConn," 9 July 2017
This, this was my cause — not all that teenage fluff.

— charles c. w. cooke, National Review, "My American Dream," 4 July 2017
This season dispenses with all the fluff and has gotten to the good stuff in the first two episodes.

— zach buchanan, Cincinnati.com, "BAR: A donkey to be named later," 29 June 2017
The Presley concert is like a sideshow with its warmup group fluff.

— david lindquist, Indianapolis Star, "Elvis Presley provoked cheers, jeers at final concert," 26 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'fluff.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of fluff

perhaps blend of flue (fluff) and puff

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1790

See Words from the same year

fluff Synonyms

Synonyms

down, floss, ¹fuzz, fur, lint, nap, pile

Related Words

batting

Near Antonyms

accuracy, correctness, exactitude, exactness, preciseness, precision, strictness; inerrancy, infallibility, perfection

fluff

verb

Definition of fluff

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

See fluff defined for English-language learners

Examples of fluff in a Sentence

The wind fluffed his hair.
The golfer fluffed another shot.
The actor kept fluffing the same line.

Recent Examples of fluff from the Web

Due to Liverpool fluffing their lines Gary Neville couldn't help but aim a dig at Carragher on Twitter shortly after Watford's equaliser.

— SI.com, "Carragher & Neville's Twitter War Well & Truly Begins After Liverpool Throw Away Points at Watford," 13 Aug. 2017
Her submission shows a Bronzed Cowbird hurling itself into the air, its wings down-turned, its feathers fluffed.

— brigit katz, Smithsonian, "Diverse Splendor of Birds on Display in Audubon Photo Competition," 13 July 2017
There were all these young women, fluffed up and attempting to be hot.

— craig tomashoff, The Hollywood Reporter, "'Melrose Place' at 25: Scrapped Storylines, Partying With World Leaders and How a Wig Reveal Saved the Show," 30 June 2017
Outside the Royal Terminal at the King Khalid airport, workers were busy fluffing the scarlet strip until the moment Trump emerged from Air Force One.

— kevin liptak, CNN, "On day 1 of first foreign trip, Trump was seen but not heard," 20 May 2017
Officially, it's called turning the mulch. Fluffing it up gives flowerbeds a fresh look and cuts down on (or even eliminates) the need for more, fresh mulch.

— beth kaufman, House Beautiful, "10 Things Pro Landscapers Do to Their Yards Every Autumn," 24 Aug. 2016

First Known Use of fluff

1835

fluff Synonyms

Synonyms

blunder, boob [British], flub, err, foul up, fumble, goof (up), louse up, mess (up), screw up, slip up, stumble, trip

Related Words

nod; bobble, botch, bungle, butcher, foozle, mangle, mishandle, muff, murder; miscalculate, misconceive, miscount, miscue, misdeem, misgauge, misjudge, mistake; misconstrue, misinterpret, misunderstand

Near Antonyms

ameliorate, better, enhance, help, improve, meliorate, rectify, refine, reform, remedy; doctor, fix, patch, recondition, renovate, repair, revamp

FLUFF Defined for English Language Learners

fluff

verb

Definition of fluff for English Language Learners

: to shake or move (something, such as a pillow) so that it is fuller, lighter, or softer
: to do (something) badly

FLUFF Defined for Kids

fluff

noun \ ˈfləf \

Definition of fluff for Students

:something light and soft

Fluff stuck out of the torn cushion.

fluff

verb

Definition of fluff for Students

fluffed; fluffing

:to make or become fuller, lighter, or softer

She fluffed up her pillow.

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