1
as in fumbling
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 blowing
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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of fluffing
Simply spend 60 seconds straightening your sheets, smoothing your comforter or duvet, and fluffing your pillows, and marvel at how the chore instantly makes your entire bedroom look neater.
—
Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Dec. 2025
The girl shook some snow out of her long hair, fluffing up her bangs with her fingers.
—Literary Hub, 8 Dec. 2025
After fluffing his for about an hour, contributor DaVonne Bacchus says this Douglas fir looked lifelike and didn’t have any needle loss.
—Nashia Baker, Architectural Digest, 1 Dec. 2025
The brand recommends laying the topper flat to expand for several hours after removing it from the packaging, but shoppers note that fluffing it in the dryer before use also does the trick.
—Maggie Horton, People.com, 7 Aug. 2025
Filling is made up of individual fibers, which can be redistributed by fluffing the couch cushions.
—Quincy Bulin, Southern Living, 4 Aug. 2025
Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Dec. 2025
The girl shook some snow out of her long hair, fluffing up her bangs with her fingers.
—Literary Hub, 8 Dec. 2025
After fluffing his for about an hour, contributor DaVonne Bacchus says this Douglas fir looked lifelike and didn’t have any needle loss.
—Nashia Baker, Architectural Digest, 1 Dec. 2025
The brand recommends laying the topper flat to expand for several hours after removing it from the packaging, but shoppers note that fluffing it in the dryer before use also does the trick.
—Maggie Horton, People.com, 7 Aug. 2025
Filling is made up of individual fibers, which can be redistributed by fluffing the couch cushions.
—Quincy Bulin, Southern Living, 4 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fluffing
Verb
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The image of Gobert fumbling with the ball and having his shot attempt rim out has been a lasting one.—
Jon Krawczynski,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
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Georgia Tech also went 3 of 6, fumbling at the BYU 11-yard line in the third quarter and having a 35-yard field goal by Aidan Birr blocked late in the quarter.—
CBS News Atlanta Digital Team,
CBS News,
29 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Try to find a place that will block blowing or falling debris.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
8 Nov. 2025
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What To Know In , the Kuskokwim Delta Coast and Nunivak Island are expected to see blowing snow and strong southeasterly winds from early Sunday morning through the afternoon.—
Martha McHardy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Seven years of stumbling around.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Nov. 2025
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After stumbling into a massive camp full of refugees from Nilfgaard’s ongoing campaign, Geralt winds up witness to a witch trial.—
Scott Meslow,
Vulture,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
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IMDb now accepts credits for dubbing foreign-language versions of movies and TV shows, which is just much better for those professionals to showcase their global work.—
Brian Welk,
IndieWire,
5 Nov. 2025
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Voice actors can now submit dubbing credits on their IMDb profiles.—
Katie Kilkenny,
HollywoodReporter,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Early in the third period, Blue Jackets forward Dmitri Voronkov was checking with his stick instead of his body when he was called for tripping former Blue Jackets forward Yegor Chinakhov.—
Aaron Portzline,
New York Times,
5 Jan. 2026
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The police footage shows the man turning and bolting away from officers before quickly tripping over his own feet just a few steps past his car.—
Sean Neumann,
PEOPLE,
5 Jan. 2026
Verb
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And, from this week’s issue, Nicola Twilley’s reporting on another lingering effect of the wildfires—smoke taint that is ruining grapes and threatening California’s wine industry.—
Dana Goodyear,
New Yorker,
7 Jan. 2026
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The video then shows the man asking if the situation was ruining Kaleel's Christmas.—
Jade Jackson,
IndyStar,
6 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fluffing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fluffing. Accessed 8 Jan. 2026.
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