stuff 1 of 2

Definition of stuffnext
1
2
3
4
as in material
the basic elements from which something can be developed reading, writing, and arithmetic—the stuff of an education

Synonyms & Similar Words

5

stuff

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to fill
to close up so that no empty spaces remain stuffed the box with tissue paper so the contents wouldn't rattle around

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
as in to gorge
to fill with food to capacity kids who stuff themselves with junk food after school and then don't have any room for supper

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

3
as in to cram
to fit (people or things) into a tight space stuffed all the kids into the back of the car

Synonyms & Similar Words

4
5

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 stuff
Noun
Then does all this stuff to prepare his body. Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 16 May 2026 Your momentum returns faster when the little stuff stops running the show. Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 15 May 2026
Verb
The menu puts the focus on perfectly charred steaks and chops (the 32-ounce ribeye is ideal for two) while a few surprises like short rib ramen, pierogi stuffed with farmers cheese, and cauliflower steak satisfy more adventurous eaters. Taryn Shorr-McKee, Midwest Living, 8 May 2026 Thankfully, there are many simple solutions to repel mosquitoes, from setting up insect traps to stuffing your pockets with dryer sheets. Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for stuff
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stuff
Noun
  • Rival ranch owner Beulah Jackson (Annette Bening) and her family won’t make things easy, but Rip and Beth remain one of the toughest couples on television.
    Jennifer Borresen, USA Today, 13 May 2026
  • The Frost pressed hard in the final frame to tie things up, but the goal would ultimately be Poulin’s second game-winner of the best-of-five series.
    Hailey Salvian, New York Times, 13 May 2026
Noun
  • Fly By Jing discovered that a third-party manufacturer produces its products on equipment that also processed peanuts, which may have led to cross-contamination, according to the recall.
    Greta Cross, USA Today, 14 May 2026
  • The device could also diagnose sleep disorders without bulky la equipment, monitor mental health conditions over time, and sense early signs of medical complications, the university said.
    Adam Harrington, CBS News, 14 May 2026
Noun
  • Malen has scored 13 times in Serie A and his brace at the weekend in a remarkable late 3-2 comeback win away to Parma has made flesh of Roma’s faint chances of Champions League qualification.
    James Horncastle, New York Times, 12 May 2026
  • Starship is currently the lander contracted for that mission, but the readiness and performance of both landers during Artemis 3 could possibly change that arrangement if Blue Moon completes its qualification testing first.
    Josh Dinner, Space.com, 11 May 2026
Noun
  • Israel prohibits many construction materials from entering Gaza, so the structure was created by welding sheets of metal together and painting them white.
    Clayton Dalton, New Yorker, 15 May 2026
  • The search-warrant affidavit that allowed the FBI to seize election materials in Georgia in January—an extraordinary intervention by federal law enforcement—cited an analysis by Parikh.
    Shane Harris, The Atlantic, 14 May 2026
Noun
  • The aye-aye, in essence, became a woodpecker by primate standards.
    Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 10 May 2026
  • The Mario series was maturing alongside the greater video-game landscape, but its childlike essence remained—not through docile cuteness, but through a more grandiose fusion of wonder, whimsy, and wistfulness.
    Billie Bugara, Pitchfork, 9 May 2026
Verb
  • If the federal gas tax is suspended from June 1 through October 1, for example, Penn Wharton Budget Model estimates that a household filling up a 15-gallon tank once a week would save about $35 over those four months.
    Wyatte Grantham-Philips, Chicago Tribune, 14 May 2026
  • Gauthier moved to the middle for one shift as top-line winger Troy Terry filled his spot on right wing.
    Eric Stephens, New York Times, 13 May 2026
Verb
  • The Raiders gorged in a different way, blowing the center market out of the water with a massive, $27 million per year contract for Baltimore’s Tyler Linderbaum and rocketing toward the top of the league in money spent.
    Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 15 Mar. 2026
  • Once in Dun, Mathilda gorges herself on strange delicacies while assembling disparate pieces of Hermia.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 12 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Instead of cramming an itinerary, dark sky travelers often build trips around a single celestial event or a multi-night stay somewhere remote enough to actually see the stars.
    Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 12 May 2026
  • The flexible upper also allows for some stretch, so your feet won’t ever feel like they’re crammed into the shoe.
    Jasmine Gomez, Travel + Leisure, 11 May 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Stuff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stuff. Accessed 17 May. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on stuff

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