stuff
noun
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Definition of stuff
(Entry 1 of 2)
1 : materials, supplies, or equipment used in various activities: such as
a obsolete : military baggage
2 : material to be manufactured, wrought, or used in construction clear half-inch pine stuff —Emily Holt
3 : a finished textile suitable for clothing especially : wool or worsted material
4a : literary or artistic production
b : writing, discourse, talk, or ideas of little value : trash
5a : an unspecified material substance or aggregate of matter volcanic rock is curious stuff
b : something (as a drug or food) consumed or introduced into the body by humans
c : a matter to be considered the truth was heady stuff long-term policy stuff
d : a group or scattering of miscellaneous objects or articles pick that stuff up off the floor also : nonphysical unspecified material conservation and … all kinds of good stuff —Eric Korn
6a : fundamental material : substance the stuff of greatness
b : subject matter a teacher who knows her stuff
7 : special knowledge or capability showing their stuff
8a : spin imparted to a thrown or hit ball to make it curve or change course
b : the movement of a baseball pitch out of its apparent line of flight : the liveliness of a pitch greatest pitcher of my time … had tremendous stuff —Ted Williams
9 : dunk shot
stuff
verbDefinition of stuff (Entry 2 of 2)
1a : to fill by packing things in : cram the boy stuffed his pockets with candy
b : to fill to satiety : surfeit stuffed themselves with turkey
c : to prepare (meat or vegetables) by filling or lining with a stuffing
d : to fill (something, such as a cushion) with a soft material
e : to fill out the skin of (an animal) for mounting
2a : to fill by intellectual effort stuffing their heads with facts
b : to pack full of something immaterial a book stuffed with information
3 : to fill or block up (something, such as nasal passages)
4a : to cause to enter or fill : thrust stuffed a lot of clothing into a laundry bag
b : to put (a ball, a puck, etc.) into a goal forcefully from close range
5 —used in the imperative to express contempt if they didn't like it, stuff 'em —Eric Clapton —often used in the phrases stuff it and get stuffed
6 : to stop (a ballcarrier) abruptly in a football game stuffed the runner just short of a first down
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Synonyms & Antonyms for stuff
Synonyms: Noun
capability, credentials, goods, qualification
Synonyms: Verb
brim, charge, cram, fill, heap, jam, jam-pack, load, pack
Antonyms: Verb
clear, empty, evacuate, vacate, void
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Examples of stuff in a Sentence
Noun
She got out the cooking stuff to bake some cookies. computers, word processors, and stuff like that I need a place to store my stuff. Pick that stuff up off the floor.Verb
The boy stuffed his pockets with candy. She stuffed the laundry bag full.
Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
Look man, Pat Riley is the godfather, all that stuff. — Jordan Mcpherson, miamiherald, "This ESPN personality on Miami Heat's Hassan Whiteside: 'He's not a winning player'," 5 July 2018 The game was purely for bragging rights and who snagged all the cool stuff afterwards like trophies and a banner because the two teams had snared the tournament’s two Coast Region Tournament berths on Saturday. — Robert Avery, Houston Chronicle, "Mustang all-stars lose Section title to Huntsville," 1 July 2018 Soon enough, reports swirled of alarming hospitalizations reportedly linked to the products, especially among underage teens drinking dangerous amounts of the stuff. — Carolyn L. Todd, SELF, "What Actually Happens When You Combine Alcohol and Caffeine?," 29 June 2018 Bringing really tasty gluten-free stuff to the community is a goal. — Kristine M. Kierzek, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Creative cakes for kids turned into a small business for Wauwatosa woman," 13 July 2018 Lots of nervous energy here, and the referee wants to keep a lid on extra stuff right away. — Rory Smith, New York Times, "Croatia Digs Deeper, Burying England’s World Cup Dreams," 12 July 2018 We're caught in this bad equilibrium where everybody has to write clickbait stuff. — Emily Dreyfuss, WIRED, "Judd Legum Wants to Fix News With a Newsletter," 12 July 2018 Since flying back to Los Angeles from his beautiful vacation spots, James has tweeted about pizza, posted workout videos, and he was swarmed by paparazzi after having dinner with Al Pacino and Leonardo DiCaprio — normal LA stuff. — Alysha Tsuji, For The Win, "LeBron's agent Rich Paul shares what went into decision to sign with Lakers," 12 July 2018 People who got their hands dirty making stuff did not go to college. — The Economist, "A welcome upgrade to apprenticeships," 12 July 2018Recent Examples on the Web: Verb
With prices mostly in the two or three figures, her studded leather jackets and slinky slip dresses look not unlike what stuffs the racks at H&M and Forever 21. — Sheila Marikar, New York Times, "How to Make an American Fashion Brand (No Sewing Required!)," 26 Aug. 2017 Instead, the avocado was simply halved, then stuffed with a corn salad consisting of corn, tomatoes, cilantro, peppers, and lime vinaigrette. — Birmingham Magazine, AL.com, "Birmingham Restaurant Week Review: Lunch at Bottega Cafe," 15 Aug. 2017 Airport officials say the toilet had been stuffed with paper towels, and the airline affected, Southwest, offered replacement bags to some customers. — miamiherald, "One overflowing toilet delayed thousands of people traveling to Florida," 9 Aug. 2017 Mr. Holmes Bakehouse and Smitten Ice Cream have teamed up to blow your mind this weekend, when the former’s signature croissant/muffin hybrids will be stuffed with Smitten flavors. — Marielle Wakim, Los Angeles Magazine, "The 5 Best Things to Do in L.A. This Weekend," 28 July 2017 One major favorite was The Fifth Element, Luc Besson’s 1997 masterpiece, a sci-fi/action wonderment stuffed full of oddball style and weirdo Euro humor. — Richard Lawson, vanityfair.com, "Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets Is an Endearing, Eye-Popping Mess," 18 July 2017 One major favorite was The Fifth Element, Luc Besson’s 1997 masterpiece, a sci-fi/action wonderment stuffed full of oddball style and weirdo Euro humor. — Richard Lawson, HWD, "Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets Is an Endearing, Eye-Popping Mess," 18 July 2017 THE factory of the future will be a building stuffed full of robots making robots. — The Economist, "The Gemini makersMillions of things will soon have digital twins," 13 July 2017 Some products that could be coming soon to your favorite food retailer: Mini bagels shaped almost like tennis balls, cheesecake stuffed inside ice cream-style cones and a delicately flavored beverage derived from unroasted coffee beans. — Charles Passy, WSJ, "Cricket Bars, Anyone? Quirky Foods Take Center Stage at Gourmet Trade Show," 26 June 2017These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'stuff.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for stuff
stuff
noun
English Language Learners Definition of stuff
(Entry 1 of 2)
: materials, supplies, or equipment
: a group or pile of things that are not specifically described
—used to speak in a general way about something that is talked about, written about, etc.
stuff
verbEnglish Language Learners Definition of stuff (Entry 2 of 2)
: to fill (something) so that there is no room for anything else
: to push (something) quickly and carelessly into a small space
: to put a seasoned mixture of food into (something that is being cooked)
See the full definition for stuff in the English Language Learners Dictionary
stuff
noun
\
Kids Definition of stuff
(Entry 1 of 2)
1 : materials, supplies, or equipment that people need or use We helped move his stuff to the new apartment.
2 : writing, speech, sounds, actions, or ideas of little value … some of the boys act so immature, making monkey sounds and stuff. —Paula Danziger, Amber Brown
3 : something mentioned or understood but not named Wipe that stuff off your face.
4 : basic part of something : substance The floor is made of tough stuff. She shows the stuff of greatness.
stuff
verbKids Definition of stuff (Entry 2 of 2)
stuff
transitive verb
\
Medical Definition of stuff
: to choke or block up (as nasal passages) a stuffed up nose
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