Nerf

American  

[nurf] / nɜrf /

Trademark.

1. a brand name for various toys modeled especially on sports equipment but made of foam rubber or other soft substances.

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verb (used with object)

1. (lowercase) (in a video game) to reconfigure (an existing character or weapon), making it less powerful.

   The game development team nerfed several guns in the recent update.

Example Sentences

Recently Kate Fakonas, a senior director of product design for Play-Doh and Nerf products, and Stephanie Buscher, vice president of supply planning, took part as co-CEOs competing against other teams.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 1, 2026

Behind the scenes, Zoro’s mouth katana had a lightweight handle and a thin wire tipped with a blue Nerf foam bullet.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 4, 2023

But though it was tempting to attribute it to learning a new form of meditation that involved dancing and slamming Nerf bats against the floor, I don’t think that was it.

From Slate • Aug. 4, 2023

One of his neighbours told the network that the shooting unfolded as teenagers were playing with toy Nerf guns in the area.

From BBC • Mar. 7, 2023

During the days, her dad sits in the backyard, throwing my old Nerf basketball into the plastic hoop.

From "Landscape with Invisible Hand" by M.T. Anderson