puff

1 to breathe hard, quickly, or with difficulty he came running up the stairs puffing and wheezing Synonyms blow, heave, hyperventilate, pant, gasp, wheezeRelated Words choke, gag, gulp, huff; asphyxiate, smother, stifle, strangle; snore, snuffle; exhale, expire

2 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 adulate, belaud, blarney, butter up, hero-worship, honey, massage, overpraise, flatter, soft-soap, strokeRelated Words blandish, cajole, coax, sweet-talk, wheedle; fawn, kowtow, suck (up to), toady; idolize, worship; eulogize, extol (also extoll), laud, praise; applaud, commend, compliment; congratulate, felicitate; drool, gush, slaver, slobber; endear, ingratiate; court, romance, wooNear Antonyms bad-mouth, belittle, decry, depreciate, disparage, put down