huff and puff
idiom
1
: to breathe in a loud and heavy way because of physical effort
He was huffing and puffing when he got to the top of the stairs.
2
: to show one is annoyed or angry
She'll huff and puff for a while, but she'll calm down later.
Examples of huff and puff in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Slot’s side were left to huff and puff for the rest of the first half, unable to break down a resilient low block as the interval approached.
—
Andy Jones, New York Times, 29 Apr. 2025
An astonished Lara asks them to move to the crew mess, which makes Wihan huff and puff in irritation.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 3 Mar. 2025
The defeat on Saturday had some of the hallmarks of those performances — all the early huff and puff, with a chronic lack of end product — only with more downsides.
—Patrick Boyland, The Athletic, 18 Aug. 2024
But every step along the way makes the views from the top worth every huff and puff of energy.
—Estes Park Trail-Gazette, The Denver Post, 6 Aug. 2024
Also, some people may huff and puff with more prolonged or more intense bouts of physical activity; others may lose their breath with mild exercise.9
What Can Contribute To Feeling Breathless?
—Rozalynn S. Frazier, Health, 3 Sep. 2023
For the sandwich lovers who might huff and puff at a bagel served with its guts on display, Layla’s got you: a scrambled egg and chermoula bagel is slammed shut and wrapped nice and tight.
—The Bon Appétit Staff & Contributors, Bon Appétit, 27 June 2023
Walking into a drug store for a simple errand is enough to make Josh Welch huff and puff as if he’s just gone for a run.
—Marin Wolf, Dallas News, 10 Mar. 2023
On the run, big mamma will charge to 60 mph in a very respectable 7.2 seconds and will huff and puff all the way to 121 mph.
—Rich Ceppos, Car and Driver, 3 Feb. 2023
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Andy Jones, New York Times, 29 Apr. 2025
An astonished Lara asks them to move to the crew mess, which makes Wihan huff and puff in irritation.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 3 Mar. 2025
The defeat on Saturday had some of the hallmarks of those performances — all the early huff and puff, with a chronic lack of end product — only with more downsides.
—Patrick Boyland, The Athletic, 18 Aug. 2024
But every step along the way makes the views from the top worth every huff and puff of energy.
—Estes Park Trail-Gazette, The Denver Post, 6 Aug. 2024
Also, some people may huff and puff with more prolonged or more intense bouts of physical activity; others may lose their breath with mild exercise.9
What Can Contribute To Feeling Breathless?
—Rozalynn S. Frazier, Health, 3 Sep. 2023
For the sandwich lovers who might huff and puff at a bagel served with its guts on display, Layla’s got you: a scrambled egg and chermoula bagel is slammed shut and wrapped nice and tight.
—The Bon Appétit Staff & Contributors, Bon Appétit, 27 June 2023
Walking into a drug store for a simple errand is enough to make Josh Welch huff and puff as if he’s just gone for a run.
—Marin Wolf, Dallas News, 10 Mar. 2023
On the run, big mamma will charge to 60 mph in a very respectable 7.2 seconds and will huff and puff all the way to 121 mph.
—Rich Ceppos, Car and Driver, 3 Feb. 2023
Cite this Entry
“Huff and puff.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/huff%20and%20puff. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.
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