as in swollen
enlarged beyond normal from internal pressure
her eyelid was so puffed she couldn't see with that eye
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in gasped
to breathe hard, quickly, or with difficulty
he came running up the stairs puffing and wheezing
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in applauded
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
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Recent Examples of puffed
Kelly McGreal, FOXNews.com, 18 Jan. 2026
The look featured a hood and a puffed silhouette.
—Catherine Santino, PEOPLE, 21 Oct. 2025
Bake until puffed and golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes.
—Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 2 Oct. 2025
Cover and let rise in a warm place until puffed and almost double in size (about 1 hour).
—Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Aug. 2025
Hailee Catalano, Bon Appetit Magazine, 23 Jan. 2026
Bake in preheated oven until puffed and set, about 30 minutes.
—Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 15 Jan. 2026
Joey McGuire pulled Morton toward him and whispered something to his quarterback, who then puffed his chest and went forward with the postgame conference.
—Ty Kaplan, Dallas Morning News, 1 Jan. 2026
His cheeks puffed and his eyes crossed.
—Emilia Petrarca, New Yorker, 8 Dec. 2025
In addition to its V-neck design and button-down silhouette, the sweater also has a collar and puffed sleeves for a dressier look.
—Clara McMahon, PEOPLE, 5 Dec. 2025
By way of reply, the kid puffed up his chest and smiled shyly.
—Literary Hub, 5 Dec. 2025
Bake until center is puffed and golden, 40 to 45 minutes.
—Maddy Bendgen, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 Nov. 2025
Elevated by a low heel, the shoes provided a frosty sparkling accent to a light pink dress featuring one puffed sheer long sleeve with ornate embellishment at the cuff.
—Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 27 Oct. 2025
Adjective
The restaurant serves both traditional pancakes and a German-style pancake baked until puffed and golden, a menu item that has helped set it apart over the decades.
—Kelly McGreal, FOXNews.com, 18 Jan. 2026
The look featured a hood and a puffed silhouette.
—Catherine Santino, PEOPLE, 21 Oct. 2025
Bake until puffed and golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes.
—Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 2 Oct. 2025
Cover and let rise in a warm place until puffed and almost double in size (about 1 hour).
—Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Aug. 2025
Verb
Bake for 20–25 minutes, until the biscuits are puffed and the bottoms are golden brown.
—Hailee Catalano, Bon Appetit Magazine, 23 Jan. 2026
Bake in preheated oven until puffed and set, about 30 minutes.
—Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 15 Jan. 2026
Joey McGuire pulled Morton toward him and whispered something to his quarterback, who then puffed his chest and went forward with the postgame conference.
—Ty Kaplan, Dallas Morning News, 1 Jan. 2026
His cheeks puffed and his eyes crossed.
—Emilia Petrarca, New Yorker, 8 Dec. 2025
In addition to its V-neck design and button-down silhouette, the sweater also has a collar and puffed sleeves for a dressier look.
—Clara McMahon, PEOPLE, 5 Dec. 2025
By way of reply, the kid puffed up his chest and smiled shyly.
—Literary Hub, 5 Dec. 2025
Bake until center is puffed and golden, 40 to 45 minutes.
—Maddy Bendgen, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 Nov. 2025
Elevated by a low heel, the shoes provided a frosty sparkling accent to a light pink dress featuring one puffed sheer long sleeve with ornate embellishment at the cuff.
—Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 27 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for puffed
Adjective
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This $15 option from Basic Concepts attaches to your tray table, creating a swinging hammock that provides relief for tired, swollen feet.—
Amelia McBride,
Travel + Leisure,
6 Jan. 2026
-
Or noticing that your hands feel inexplicably stiff and swollen, making simple tasks like opening a jar or even typing feel unusually difficult.—
Daryl Austin,
USA Today,
5 Jan. 2026
Verb
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As Jenkins slowly stepped out wearing an off-the-shoulder gown from Lillian Ruth Bride, custom-altered by Jordyn White and styled by Nupt Styling, everyone gasped and clapped.—
Ashlyn Robinette,
PEOPLE,
20 Jan. 2026
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Aisha gasped and turned to stare at the woman who sat there.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
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In a statement, Gandini applauded Nielsen’s e-commerce marketplace business and expressed confidence in his potential to propel the company into a new phase.—
Sofia Celeste,
Footwear News,
21 Jan. 2026
-
Timashev also applauded updates to Biohaven’s degrader program, which provide evidence of the platform’s potential to help treat Graves’ disease and kidney diseases such as IgA nephropathy.—
Lisa Kailai Han,
CNBC,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Influenced by her Indian heritage, Japanese craft philosophy, and the traditions of Shetland knitting, her work is highly distinctive and also wholly wearable; David and I stroked scarves, asymmetric wraps, and sweaters with yearning.—
Sarah Moss,
Travel + Leisure,
11 Jan. 2026
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Trump’s allies have always stroked his ego to get their way.—
Chris Brennan,
USA Today,
11 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Backstage, Finn Balor congratulated Punk and thanked him for giving him his flowers last week.—
Alfred Konuwa,
Forbes.com,
26 Jan. 2026
-
The idea that Henie actually had a romantic relationship with Hitler is widely disputed; the ice princess and the dictator did, however, reportedly go to lunch after Hitler congratulated her rinkside on winning her third Olympic title.—
Natasha O'Neill,
Vanity Fair,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
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And in a return of goodwill, Gun Owners of America praised him for withholding judgment on the facts of the case.—
David Sivak,
The Washington Examiner,
27 Jan. 2026
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Aliso Niguel coach Keith Barnett praised the effort of his freshman point guard, Iribarne.—
Martin Henderson,
Oc Register,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Tuason and company deserve to be commended for telling a narrative film on such a small scale, but the finished product fails to deliver a conclusion that’s scary enough to justify its lethargic, slow-burn format.—
Christian Zilko,
IndieWire,
25 Jan. 2026
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There are, however, other that have taken his side and commended him for speaking out.—
Lizzie Lanuza,
StyleCaster,
24 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The sturdy grooved leaves seem tough at first but, like your back after a trip to the chiropractor, relax and open up once they’re heartily massaged.—
Shilpa Uskokovic,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
27 Jan. 2026
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Or opt for the Oil Ceremony, where layers of delicately scented oils are massaged into the skin in a soothing ritual.—
Caitlin Gunther,
Travel + Leisure,
25 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Puffed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/puffed. Accessed 29 Jan. 2026.
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