1
as in fumbled
to make a mistake
unnerved by her earlier missteps, the skater fluffed on the final jump as well
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in blew
to make or do (something) in a clumsy or unskillful way
I completely fluffed the introduction by calling the boss's wife by the wrong name
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 fluffed
The tiniest requests were dispensed with the utmost care; rooms were primped and fluffed three times a day; special requests for excursions efficiently booked; and dietary preferences noted and recalled with precision.
—
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Mar. 2026
Brentford’s Dango Ouattara fluffed a Panenka, above.
—Phil Hay, New York Times, 10 Mar. 2026
Each fern includes 39 stems that measure 29 inches high and can expand to 35 inches in diameter when fully fluffed.
—Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 3 Mar. 2026
Then tumble dry on no-heat with tennis balls to keep them fluffed.
—Nashia Baker, Martha Stewart, 19 Feb. 2026
Hours later, the calf, fed and fluffed, took a spot on the couch with the Sorrell family’s two children.
—Dylan Lovan, Los Angeles Times, 30 Jan. 2026
Hours later, the calf, fed and fluffed, took a spot on the couch with the Sorrell family's two children.
—CBS News, 29 Jan. 2026
For Jonathan Anderson’s vision of beauty at his first Dior women’s show in October, Guido Palau fluffed up models’ natural texture, not dissimilar from the windswept waves and pre-Raphaelite curls the hairstylist created for Veronica Leoni’s September Calvin Klein debut.
—Arden Fanning Andrews, Vogue, 28 Jan. 2026
After completing the quick tutorial, Harper quickly fluffed her hair and gave the camera a subtle pose before ending the clip.
—Kayla Grant, People.com, 22 Aug. 2025
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Mar. 2026
Brentford’s Dango Ouattara fluffed a Panenka, above.
—Phil Hay, New York Times, 10 Mar. 2026
Each fern includes 39 stems that measure 29 inches high and can expand to 35 inches in diameter when fully fluffed.
—Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 3 Mar. 2026
Then tumble dry on no-heat with tennis balls to keep them fluffed.
—Nashia Baker, Martha Stewart, 19 Feb. 2026
Hours later, the calf, fed and fluffed, took a spot on the couch with the Sorrell family’s two children.
—Dylan Lovan, Los Angeles Times, 30 Jan. 2026
Hours later, the calf, fed and fluffed, took a spot on the couch with the Sorrell family's two children.
—CBS News, 29 Jan. 2026
For Jonathan Anderson’s vision of beauty at his first Dior women’s show in October, Guido Palau fluffed up models’ natural texture, not dissimilar from the windswept waves and pre-Raphaelite curls the hairstylist created for Veronica Leoni’s September Calvin Klein debut.
—Arden Fanning Andrews, Vogue, 28 Jan. 2026
After completing the quick tutorial, Harper quickly fluffed her hair and gave the camera a subtle pose before ending the clip.
—Kayla Grant, People.com, 22 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fluffed
Verb
-
The Storm had the Inter&Co Stadium crowd of 11,127 people on their feet early after Columbus fumbled the opening kickoff and safety Josh Minkins jumped on it to give the Storm their initial possession inside the 30-yard line.—
Chris Hays,
The Orlando Sentinel,
30 Mar. 2026
-
As the years went by, judges complained that the city’s in-house lawyers had fumbled key casework.—
Joe Mahr,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
But few, if any, think about what the pain of losing a championship in October will feel, something Blue Jays manager John Schneider had to endure last season when his team blew a 3-2 series lead to the Dodgers.—
Joseph Dycus,
Mercury News,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Last year, Duke blew a 14-point lead to lose to Houston in the Final Four with Flagg and Knueppel.—
Megan Armstrong,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The nearest Portugal defender stumbled as the ball came to Pulisic just in front of the 6-yard box.—
Michael Cunningham,
AJC.com,
1 Apr. 2026
-
James, the Army veteran from Phoenix, had stumbled across it one night last June, while his wife slept.—
Charles Bethea,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Critics also complain that Dodge, known for its muscle cars, muffed its transition to hybrid power systems.—
Aldo Svaldi,
Denver Post,
1 Feb. 2026
-
But early in the second half, with the Seahawks leading 17-13, Smith muffed another kick and the Seahawks recovered the ball.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The explosion tripped two electrical boxes not far away, Smith said, causing wires to detach from a power pole, which fell onto a minivan that became engulfed in flames.—
Jason Rantala,
CBS News,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Decades ago, Gambel’s quail were so numerous that residents tripped over them.—
Shi En Kim,
AZCentral.com,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Back in the team after injury, Neuer made strong saves in the first half but blundered for Freiburg's second, leaping out of his goal to palm a corner straight to Freiburg striker Lucas Höler for an easy second.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
4 Apr. 2026
-
The growing political noise raises questions about whether Netflix, which has had one of the cleanest business strategies and investment stories in media, blundered into its first big M&A swing.—
Rohan Goswami,
semafor.com,
24 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fluffed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fluffed. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
