1
as in fumbled
to make a mistake
unnerved by her earlier missteps, the skater fluffed on the final jump as well
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in blew
to make or do (something) in a clumsy or unskillful way
I completely fluffed the introduction by calling the boss's wife by the wrong name
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of fluffed
Each fern includes 39 stems that measure 29 inches high and can expand to 35 inches in diameter when fully fluffed.
—
Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 3 Mar. 2026
Igor Jesus fluffed his lines when Omari Hutchinson sent him through on goal, hesitating too long and allowing Virgil van Dijk to snatch the ball.
—Paul Taylor, New York Times, 23 Feb. 2026
Then tumble dry on no-heat with tennis balls to keep them fluffed.
—Nashia Baker, Martha Stewart, 19 Feb. 2026
Hours later, the calf, fed and fluffed, took a spot on the couch with the Sorrell family’s two children.
—Dylan Lovan, Los Angeles Times, 30 Jan. 2026
Hours later, the calf, fed and fluffed, took a spot on the couch with the Sorrell family's two children.
—CBS News, 29 Jan. 2026
For Jonathan Anderson’s vision of beauty at his first Dior women’s show in October, Guido Palau fluffed up models’ natural texture, not dissimilar from the windswept waves and pre-Raphaelite curls the hairstylist created for Veronica Leoni’s September Calvin Klein debut.
—Arden Fanning Andrews, Vogue, 28 Jan. 2026
After completing the quick tutorial, Harper quickly fluffed her hair and gave the camera a subtle pose before ending the clip.
—Kayla Grant, People.com, 22 Aug. 2025
Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 3 Mar. 2026
Igor Jesus fluffed his lines when Omari Hutchinson sent him through on goal, hesitating too long and allowing Virgil van Dijk to snatch the ball.
—Paul Taylor, New York Times, 23 Feb. 2026
Then tumble dry on no-heat with tennis balls to keep them fluffed.
—Nashia Baker, Martha Stewart, 19 Feb. 2026
Hours later, the calf, fed and fluffed, took a spot on the couch with the Sorrell family’s two children.
—Dylan Lovan, Los Angeles Times, 30 Jan. 2026
Hours later, the calf, fed and fluffed, took a spot on the couch with the Sorrell family's two children.
—CBS News, 29 Jan. 2026
For Jonathan Anderson’s vision of beauty at his first Dior women’s show in October, Guido Palau fluffed up models’ natural texture, not dissimilar from the windswept waves and pre-Raphaelite curls the hairstylist created for Veronica Leoni’s September Calvin Klein debut.
—Arden Fanning Andrews, Vogue, 28 Jan. 2026
After completing the quick tutorial, Harper quickly fluffed her hair and gave the camera a subtle pose before ending the clip.
—Kayla Grant, People.com, 22 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fluffed
Verb
-
And the counseling office fumbled it.—
Sharyn Alfonsi,
CBS News,
2 Mar. 2026
-
Cornell fumbled with Mercader’s clothing, trying to find them.—
Josh Ireland,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
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But a tree fell on his home of 20 years, and portions of the roof of a house across the street blew into his yard.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
8 Mar. 2026
-
The Canadiens blew a full power play in overtime and lost in a shootout.—
Arpon Basu,
New York Times,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The drunk boys urinated on the property, threw up in the backyard and stumbled and fell on the patio, the documents state.—
Andrew J. Campa,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Mar. 2026
-
The girls were found Monday evening by a dog walker who stumbled across the first body in the vicinity of East 162nd Street and Midland Avenue, near an all-boys public school called the Ginn Academy School, and called the police.—
Corky Siemaszko,
NBC news,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Critics also complain that Dodge, known for its muscle cars, muffed its transition to hybrid power systems.—
Aldo Svaldi,
Denver Post,
1 Feb. 2026
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But early in the second half, with the Seahawks leading 17-13, Smith muffed another kick and the Seahawks recovered the ball.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Jokic confronted Dort after getting tripped in the backcourt, leading to a heated shoving match.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
28 Feb. 2026
-
Early last year, Brown’s wife—the former Cleveland Plain Dealer columnist Connie Schultz—tripped over a clothes basket and broke her shoulder.—
Mark Leibovich,
The Atlantic,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The growing political noise raises questions about whether Netflix, which has had one of the cleanest business strategies and investment stories in media, blundered into its first big M&A swing.—
Rohan Goswami,
semafor.com,
24 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fluffed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fluffed. Accessed 9 Mar. 2026.
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