puff
noun
a short, quick blast, as of wind or breath.
puffing
-
present participleof puff.present participle
A verb form that is used in progressive verb constructions and may also function as a modifier or a gerund.
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.
He eventually entered to find his boss, Winston Churchill, and Gen. Charles de Gaulle, the leader of the Free French, puffing cigars and “sitting side by side with amiable expressions on their faces.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 13, 2026
Inevitably, amid the weekly huffing and puffing, you share stories and life updates with a trainer, who oftentimes becomes a friend.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 1, 2026
On Monday, the Navy veteran told reporters that Hegseth’s machismo came off like a child puffing up his chest.
From Salon ● Dec. 2, 2025
Heavily puffing his cheeks out as he left Court One was a sign of the difficulties he had endured on a testing evening from which he will hope to learn.
From BBC ● Jul. 3, 2025
He whined a little, and Ivy did her monkey face at him, puffing out her cheeks and pulling on her ears.
From "Ivy Aberdeen’s Letter to the World" by Ashley Herring Blake
