fluff

1 of 2

noun

ˈfləf 

1

: down entry 7 sense 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

Synonyms

Noun

• fur
• pile

Verb

• fumble
• stumble
• trip
• slip up
• blunder

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.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

There is only so much fluff and so much that can be talked about. —Adam Crafton, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025

That’s a lot of weight for something stuffed with fluff. —Marisa McMillan, Outside, 7 Oct. 2025

Verb

The tree came with helpful instructions that guided you to fluff from the interior branches out the outermost branches. —Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 20 Oct. 2025

Aggie Beever-Jones fluffed her lines on multiple chances, failing to connect with a through ball from Keira Walsh and only weakly meeting a cutback from Sjoeke Nusken. —Cerys Jones, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025

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

Rhymes for fluff

• buff
• cuff
• duff
• gruff
• hough
• huff
• luff
• muff
• puff
• rough
• ruff
• scruff

Kids Definition

fluff

1 of 2 noun

ˈfləf 

1

: nap entry 3, down

2

: something fluffy

fluff

2 of 2 verb

: to make or become fluffy