fluff

1 of 2

noun

1
2
: something fluffy
dandelion fluff
3
: something inconsequential
4
: blunder
especially : an actor's lapse of memory

fluff

2 of 2

verb

fluffed; fluffing; fluffs

transitive verb

1
: to make fluffy
fluff the pillows
birds fluffing up their feathers
2
a
: to spoil by a mistake : botch
b
: to deliver badly or forget (one's lines) in a play

intransitive verb

1
: to become fluffy
2
: to make a mistake
especially : to forget or bungle one's lines in a play

Examples of fluff in a Sentence

Noun Her sweater was covered with fluff. The movie was pure fluff. Her latest article has the usual fluff about movie stars and gossip. Verb The wind fluffed his hair. The golfer fluffed another shot. The actor kept fluffing the same line.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Noun
No fluff, no jargon—just useful insights with a clear point of view. Renae Gregoire, Forbes.com, 21 Apr. 2025 What's inside: A Heavenly Hash Egg is filled with marshmallow fluff and roasted almonds and covered in either milk or dark chocolate. Carlie Kollath Wells, Axios, 17 Apr. 2025
Verb
The first half of the clip shows 14-week-old Leo with a small tail that looks highly unlikely to ever fluff out. Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 May 2025 Both Grimaldo and centre-back Jonathan Tah fluffed their duels in the build-up to Heidenheim’s second big chance of the game on 18 minutes, before they were forced to go long and turnover possession from the resultant goal kick, penned in by an adventurous pressing scheme. Mark Carey, New York Times, 10 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for fluff

Word History

Etymology

Noun

perhaps blend of flue (fluff) and puff

First Known Use

Noun

1790, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1835, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of fluff was in 1790

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Fluff.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fluff. Accessed 2 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

fluff

1 of 2 noun
1
2
: something fluffy

fluff

2 of 2 verb
: to make or become fluffy

More from Merriam-Webster on fluff

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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