stuffing

noun

stuff·​ing ˈstə-fiŋ 

: material used to stuff or fill: such as

a

: a soft material (such as cotton or polyester) used to fill upholstered furniture, cushions, bedding, etc.

b

: a seasoned mixture (as of bread crumbs, vegetables, and butter) that is typically placed inside the cavity of a turkey, pepper, etc. and cooked

Synonyms of stuffing

• filling
• packing
• fill
• padding

Examples of stuffing in a Sentence

Would you like more stuffing?

never heard of using goose down as stuffing for comforters until she moved to a cold climate

Recent Examples on the Web

For a true picture of the Outer Banks before electricity and running water, Anderson-Silver nods to My Daily Bounded Realm by Robin Daniels Holt, which takes readers back to a time when locals on Hatteras Island made a living through selling seaweed for mattress stuffing and ate molecrab stew. —Kat Chen, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Apr. 2026

The stuffing, Certipur-US and Greenguard Gold-certified for safety, is cross-cut to prevent lumps and clumps, keeping the pillow smooth, airy, and puffy, despite being crammed into hiking packs and suitcases. —Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 2 Apr. 2026

Tommy disburses stuffings and sauces to hungry locals as the GIs seduced their grandmothers with Camels and nylon stockings. —Dominic Green, The Washington Examiner, 20 Mar. 2026

The outside is made from 100% organic cotton, which feels so comforting and soft on skin, while the stuffing is recycled polyester that stays light and puffy. —Grace McCarty, Glamour, 18 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing stuffing

• knock the stuffing out of
• stuffing box

Rhymes for stuffing

• bluffing
• buffing
• huffing
• puffing
• roughing
• scuffing
• sloughing
• snuffing

Kids Definition

stuffing

noun

stuff·​ing ˈstəf-iŋ 

: material used to stuff something

especially : a seasoned mixture used to stuff meat or poultry