Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

pudgy

American  
[puhj-ee] / ˈpʌdʒ i /

adjective

pudgier, pudgiest
  1. short and fat or thick.

    an infant's pudgy fingers.


pudgy British  
/ ˈpʌdʒɪ /

adjective

  1. a variant spelling (esp US) of podgy

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of pudgy

First recorded in 1830–40; origin uncertain

Explanation

To be pudgy is to be chubby and short. Baby piglets are sometimes pudgy, but not the runts. Pudgy can describe body parts, too, like a baby’s pudgy cheeks. When you're pudgy, you're a little overweight and short. Many children are pudgy, though they usually outgrow the baby fat. Being pudgy is often associated with being cute. For example, bulldogs and pugs are pudgy dogs — they have squat, round bodies that are adorable.

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing pudgy

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Pudgy as a girl and not particularly popular with the boys, she refused to be judged by patriarchal standards even if she judged herself harshly for falling short.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 6, 2024

Pudgy and messy, Kissinger incongruously acquired a reputation as a ladies’ man in the staid Nixon administration.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 29, 2023

Each toy sold provides royalties to the corresponding Pudgy Penguin NFT holder.

From BBC • Nov. 9, 2023

Pudgy and pampered — his description — as a kid growing up in the northern part of India, Chopra’s uncle suggested one day that he head out to a nearby stadium to get some exercise.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 20, 2022

Pudgy grim smoking women played bingo in a closed-off bit where a spangle-jacketed man calls out numbers and smiles like a bee.

From "Black Swan Green" by David Mitchell