puff

verb

Save Word

\ ˈpəf

\

puffed; puffing; puffs

Definition of puff

(Entry 1 of 3)

intransitive verb

1a(1) : to blow in short gusts

(2) : to exhale forcibly

b : to breathe hard : pant

c : to emit small whiffs or clouds (as of smoke) often as an accompaniment to vigorous action puff at a pipe

2 : to speak or act in a scornful, conceited, or exaggerated manner

3a : to become distended : swell —usually used with up

b : to open or appear in or as if in a puff

4 : to form a chromosomal puff

transitive verb

1a : to emit, propel, blow, or expel by or as if by puffs : waft

b : to draw on (a cigar, cigarette, pipe, etc.) with intermittent exhalations of smoke

2a : to distend with or as if with air or gas : inflate

b : to make proud or conceited : elate

c(1) : to praise extravagantly and usually with exaggeration authors puffing their own work

(2) : advertise

puff

noun

Definition of puff (Entry 2 of 3)

1a : an act or instance of puffing : whiff

b : a slight explosive sound accompanying a puff

c : a perceptible cloud or aura emitted in a puff

d : draw sense 1a

2 : a light round hollow pastry

3a : a slight swelling : protuberance

b : a fluffy mass: such as

(1) : pouf sense 2

(2) : a small fluffy pad for applying cosmetic powder

(3) : a soft loose roll of hair

(4) : a quilted bed covering

4 : a commendatory or promotional notice or review

5 : an enlarged region of a chromosome that is associated with intensely active genes involved in RNA synthesis

puff

adjective

Definition of puff (Entry 3 of 3)

: of, relating to, or designed for promotion or flattery a puff piece in the paper

Synonyms Example Sentences Learn More about puff

Keep scrolling for more

Examples of puff in a Sentence

Verb She sat on the porch puffing on a cigarette. The chimney puffed white smoke into the sky. We watched the train puff away on its journey west. He was puffing and panting from running. The bikers puffed up the hill. Noun He let me have a puff off his pipe. She took two puffs on her inhaler before going for a run. puffs filled with cream cheese and apricot jam

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb Freddie Mercury and his bandmates puff on cigarettes as Queen rockets to stardom. — Scottie Andrew, CNN, "On-screen smoking in PG-13 films has doubled since 2010, CDC says," 1 Nov. 2019 While his friend stayed inside, date followed and took the thing from my hand, puffing without permission. — Los Angeles Times, "L.A. Affairs: He insisted on paying for our date. Then I got his Venmo request," 14 Sep. 2019 The judge had to be told to stop puffing his vape pen during court proceedings earlier this year. — Cory Shaffer, cleveland.com, "One Cuyahoga County judge’s contribution to jail crowding: 13 inmates awaiting trial for more than 400 days," 19 Aug. 2019 Some of us may desire CBD in our beauty products, while others prefer a vape to puff on. — Sophie Saint Thomas, Allure, "Celebrate National CBD Day With All These Very Chill Sales," 8 Aug. 2019 Bake about 10 to 12 minutes or until the strips are puffed and golden brown. — Susan Selasky, Detroit Free Press, "Appetizers: 5 fast and fabulous to get the party started," 24 Dec. 2019 Some of you reading this are suddenly huffing and puffing, shocked that Hamilton was bumped from the list. — Chris Quinn, Editor, cleveland, "Jay-Z and Beyonce vs Hamilton? How we hope to spark your good-natured debate: Letter from the Editor," 14 Dec. 2019 Some health club members prefer the one-on-one training experience and avoiding the glares of fellow classmates while huffing and puffing through a workout, Wille said. — Robert Channick, chicagotribune.com, "Life Fitness enters race against Peloton for virtual exercise classes," 4 Dec. 2019 Los Angeles is naturally blessed with rock-solid interior defense to force Jokic to huff and puff for every point. — Mark Kiszla, The Denver Post, "Kiszla: Consider yourself lucky if you couldn’t watch telecast of Nikola Jokic and Nuggets coming up small in loss to Lakers," 3 Dec. 2019 Recent Examples on the Web: Noun Dream Job could easily be an empowerment puff piece, a one-note celebration of lady bosses. — Heather Hansman, Outside Online, "Katie Burrell's 'Dream Job’ Pokes Fun at Ski Tropes," 27 Dec. 2019 Ronning somewhat saves it with a visually inventive battle scene, punctuated with puffs of red smoke, but this is where the script veers off the rails. — chicagotribune.com, "‘Maleficent: Mistress of Evil’ review: Angelina Jolie crowded out by too many campy characters," 17 Oct. 2019 Massie richly depicts such origin scenes with vividly descriptive prose that will throw you powdery-puff wig first into the Rococo-period monarch’s world. — Kristin Vartan, EW.com, "Love HBO’s Catherine the Great? There's more to know about the Russian empress," 18 Nov. 2019 Juul advertises that each of its 5% nicotine pods are designed to mimic the smoking duration (200 puffs) and nicotine content of a pack of 20 cigarettes. — Katherine Ellen Foley, Quartz, "How can vapers quit without resorting to cigarettes?," 1 Oct. 2019 One Juul pod, which provides about 200 puffs, contains as much nicotine as a pack of cigarettes. — Los Angeles Times, "Vapers seek relief from nicotine addiction by turning to cigarettes," 16 Sep. 2019 One Juul pod, which provides about 200 puffs, contains as much nicotine as a pack of cigarettes. — NBC News, "Vapers seek relief from nicotine addiction in — wait for it — cigarettes," 15 Sep. 2019 One Juul pod, which provides about 200 puffs, contains as much nicotine as a pack of cigarettes. — Ana B. Ibarra, CNN, "Seeking relief from nicotine addiction, some e-cigarette users turn to smoking," 12 Sep. 2019 The berries were smaller than the typical Driscoll’s workhorse, cute as grannies, powder-puff at their pinkest, with patches of yellow-ish white. — Dana Goodyear, The New Yorker, "Rosé Berries Have Arrived," 11 Aug. 2019

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