Synonyms of puffs

puffs 1 of 2

noun

plural of puff

as in breezes

a slight or gentle movement of air

felt a puff of wind on his face

Synonyms & Similar Words

• breezes
• breaths
• wafts
• zephyrs
• airs
• blows
• winds
• whiffs
• currents
• sea breezes
• gales
• drafts
• northers
• westerlies
• squalls
• flurries
• headwinds
• tornadoes
• blasts
• tempests
• airflows
• windstorms
• northeasters
• southeasters
• northwesters
• tailwinds
• southwesters

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• calms

puffs

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of puff

1

as in pants

to breathe hard, quickly, or with difficulty

he came running up the stairs puffing and wheezing

Synonyms & Similar Words

• pants
• gasps
• heaves
• wheezes
• snores
• blows
• huffs
• chokes
• hyperventilates
• gulps
• is out of breath
• exhales
• gags
• smothers
• stifles
• asphyxiates
• strangles
• expires
• snuffles

2

as in strokes

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

• strokes
• massages
• praises
• applauds
• commends
• congratulates
• coaxes
• overpraises
• butters up
• flatters
• honeys
• adulates
• belauds
• soft-soaps
• cajoles
• compliments
• wheedles
• blarneys
• woos
• sucks (up to)
• kowtows
• fawns
• eulogizes
• extols
• idolizes
• sweet-talks
• gushes
• toadies
• blandishes
• hero-worships
• slobbers
• ingratiates
• worships
• lauds
• romances
• felicitates
• endears
• drools
• slavers
• courts

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• puts down
• decries
• disparages
• depreciates
• belittles
• bad-mouths

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of puffs

Noun

Without authentic longing, and without any bittersweet complexity to the portrait of one social order replacing another, we’re left with little more than puffs of amusement, enough to escalate your mood but bound to fade by morning. — Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 24 Sep. 2026

Deutsche Kuche Peanut Puffs A little salty, a little sweet, and extremely addictive, these peanut puffs are the perfect snack. — Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 24 Sep. 2026

The resulting fire from the crash sent large puffs of black smoke into the air. — David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 8 Sep. 2026

The resulting fire sent large puffs of black smoke into the air. — Staff and Wire Reports, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 Sep. 2026

Diamond Crystal or Morton kosher salt and stir just until mixture puffs and slightly lightens in color. — Ellary Collins, Bon Appetit Magazine, 24 Aug. 2026

Low-Fiber Breakfast Cereals Many cold cereals are made from refined grains that are processed into small flakes or puffs. — Brittany Poulson, Verywell Health, 19 Aug. 2026

Follow directions on your inhaler for how many puffs to take. — Alexandra Frost, USA Today, 5 July 2026

If the accretion disk puffs up in just the right way, the incoming gas can overwhelm the radiation pressure. — Quanta Magazine, 2 July 2026

Verb

Decapitated, the fairy of Smoking with Oneself (2021–26) puffs a cigarette from the gaping red maw of her throat. — Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 15 July 2026

An active Sun puffs up Earth’s atmosphere, creating higher drag for satellites in low-Earth orbit. — Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 19 June 2026

With its telltale cone shape, the northernmost of Sicily's Aeolian Islands is home to a volcano that puffs on a near-constant basis. — Elizabeth Heath, Travel + Leisure, 31 Mar. 2026

But The Bagel Nut Duo, chocolate croissants, yellow sheet cake, and a bag of Cacio e Pepe puffs to eat your feelings about yet another recall. — Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 20 Feb. 2026

The crust puffs up nicely and isn’t as thin and cardboard-y as others, while the white cheese blend and wisp of rosemary remind me of a New York white pie slice. — Alex Beggs, Bon Appetit Magazine, 7 Feb. 2026

Mia puffs up her body to look intimidating, as the googly-eyed statue stares back at her. — Rachael O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Aug. 2025