fluff

1 of 2

noun

ˈfləf 

1

: down entry 7 sense 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

Synonyms

Noun

• down
• floss
• fur
• fuzz
• lint
• nap
• pile

Verb

• blunder
• boob [British]
• err
• flub
• foul up
• fumble
• goof (up)
• louse up
• mess (up)
• screw up
• slip up
• stumble
• trip

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

Noun

Guests are unlikely to notice any debris in these tight spaces, so focus on wiping down the exteriors of appliances and surfaces, and give the couch a quick fluff. —Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Dec. 2024

Steamy romance novels are sometimes seen as the fluff of the literary world. —Clare Mulroy, USA TODAY, 14 Dec. 2024

Verb

Most blankets can be machine-dried and fluffed periodically during the dry cycle. —Martta Kelly, Verywell Health, 19 Dec. 2024

The other option was to fluff out the skirt over the chair. —Elise Taylor, Vogue, 16 Dec. 2024

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

Kids Definition

fluff

1 of 2 noun

ˈfləf 

1

: nap entry 3, down

2

: something fluffy

fluff

2 of 2 verb

: to make or become fluffy