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

He joined the Caltech Christian Fellowship, taking on a leadership role in which he organized Bible discussions, as well as the fencing team and the Nerf Club.

From Los Angeles Times • May 3, 2026

He was part of the Caltech Christian Fellowship and Nerf Club, according to his profile.

From Barron's • Apr. 26, 2026

The maker of Play-Doh and Nerf now expects revenue to grow in the high-single digits this year, compared with a prior outlook of mid-single digit growth.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 23, 2025

A mother says her 13-year-old son is "still in shock" and "struggling to sleep" after armed police confronted him and a friend while they played with a Nerf gun in a park.

From BBC • Jan. 29, 2025

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