puff 1 of 2

noun

Definition of puffnext
as in breeze
a slight or gentle movement of air felt a puff of wind on his face

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

puff

2 of 2

verb

ˈpəf How to pronounce puff (audio)
1
as in to gasp
to breathe hard, quickly, or with difficulty he came running up the stairs puffing and wheezing

Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in to stroke
to praise too much a talk show host who can be counted on to puff up the celebrities who readily consent to be interviewed

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of puff
Noun
The puffs of colored flowers that emerge from hydrangea bushes are a sure sign that summer is here. — Melissa Epifano, The Spruce, 27 June 2026 Considered rare in the cosmos, super-puffs are thought to form around the disk of gas and dust around a newborn star where there is more gas than dust. — Marcia Dunn, The Orlando Sentinel, 25 June 2026
Verb
On June 27, Underwood, 43, turned heads in an all-denim romper with dramatic, puff sleeves and cheeky hot pants. — Chanel Vargas, InStyle, 28 June 2026 An active Sun puffs up Earth’s atmosphere, creating higher drag for satellites in low-Earth orbit. — Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 19 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for puff
Recent Examples of Synonyms for puff
  1. breeze
  2. gasp
  3. stroke
  4. breath
  5. pant
  6. honey
  7. massage
  8. congratulate
Noun
  • Covering the pan in aluminum foil also helps make cleanup a breeze.
    — Jenna Sims, Southern Living, 8 July 2026
  • And the Fourth of July holiday week was kind of a breeze, with low wait times at most attractions at both parks.
    — Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2026
Definition of breeze
Verb
  • Stunned spectators are heard gasping and screaming before people start to run away.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 5 July 2026
  • And when he was questioned by a police officer about his decision to pronounce the boy dead while the child was still gasping for air, the doctor allegedly pulled rank.
    — Gabriella Bachara, NBC news, 3 July 2026
Definition of gasp
Verb
  • Medina cuts the ball back, Almada dummies it intelligently and, when the ball reaches him, Messi has enough space to stroke a first-time shot into the net.
    — Oliver Kay, New York Times, 24 June 2026
  • But Argentina’s talisman stroked it wide of the net.
    — David Hickey, NBC news, 23 June 2026
Definition of stroke
Noun
  • During the match, Williams took a crucial deep breath, visibly calming herself.
    — Kevin Kruse, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026
  • Fitness coach and content creator Tom Trotter told Vogue that showing up sweaty and out of breath forces people to drop the act.
    — Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 6 July 2026
Definition of breath
Verb
  • Like Fritz said, Tiafoe snatched his NBA-style pants off in one motion.
    — Merlisa Lawrence Corbett, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026
  • When panting alone cannot shed enough heat, dogs fall back on shade.
    — Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 2 July 2026
Definition of pant
Verb
  • Her voice, languid and honeyed, can glide over sensual R&B, bouncing reggaetón, shimmering pop or nostalgic jazz.
    — Isabela Raygoza, Billboard, 16 Oct. 2025
  • Those harmonies — simultaneously honeyed and gravelly, providing just enough support without overshadowing, yet so powerful and full of potential — echoes Whitten.
    — Angie Martoccio, Rolling Stone, 2 July 2024
Definition of honey
Verb
  • Begin by massaging skin with a hydrating moisturizer and primer.
    — Alanna Martine Kilkeary, Glamour, 3 July 2026
  • Deirdre massaged my limbs while the cups went to work on my perpetually achy upper back.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 July 2026
Definition of massage
Verb
  • Her Instagram followers congratulated her on the memorable catch.
    — Lisa Gutierrez July 7, Kansas City Star, 7 July 2026
  • Kate's parents, Carole and Michael Middleton, and her brother James were also waiting to congratulate her, posing for group photos at the scene.
    — Jennifer Hassan, USA Today, 6 July 2026
Definition of congratulate

Phrases Containing puff

Browse Nearby Words

puerility
puff
puff adder
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Puff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/puff. Accessed 9 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on puff

Nglish: Translation of puff for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of tacit

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 10
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All