fluff
Americannoun
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light, downy particles, as of cotton.
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a soft, light, downy mass.
a fluff of summer clouds.
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something of no consequence.
The book is pure fluff, but fun to read.
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an error or blunder, especially an actor's memory lapse in the delivery of lines.
verb (used with object)
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to make into fluff; shake or puff out (feathers, hair, etc.) into a fluffy mass (often followed byup ).
to fluff up the sofa pillows.
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to make a mistake in.
The leading man fluffed his lines.
verb (used without object)
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to become fluffy; move, float, or settle down like fluff.
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to make a mistake, especially in the delivery of lines by a performer; blunder.
noun
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soft light particles, such as the down or nap of cotton or wool
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any light downy substance
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an object, matter, etc, of little importance; trifle
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informal a mistake, esp in speaking or reading lines or performing music
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informal a young woman (esp in the phrase a bit of fluff )
verb
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to make or become soft and puffy by shaking or patting; puff up
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informal to make a mistake in performing (an action, dramatic speech, music, etc)
Usage
What does fluff mean? Fluff is a light, soft mass, such as cotton or a cloud, as in After I shaved my head, the hair that grew back was soft, like fluff. To fluff something means to shake or puff out something, as with pillows. When you fluff your hair, you might shake it out a bit so that it puffs up and looks fluffy. Fluff can also describe something that is of little importance, such as a novel that someone deems fun but not at all serious. Fluff is also a mistake, especially a situation in which an actor forgets their lines. To fluff is to make such a mistake, as in Valerie fluffed her lines during the first scene, but she quickly recovered. Example: When Grace and I were stuffing the pillows we had made, we had fluff flying all over the living room.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of fluff
Explanation
Fluff is a soft, light puffy or feathery material. Your pet angora rabbit is covered in fluff, and when you blow the down off a dandelion, you can call that fluff too. A department store window designer might use white cotton fluff as snow in his holiday display, and a bored dog might pull the fluff out of every pillow in the house while you're at work. The word fluff is also a verb meaning "to shake or ruffle until something looks fuller." It's also a great way to describe something meaningless or frivolous: "I had high hopes for the newspaper article, but it was just fluff."
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.
But Florrie is not just a fun ball of fluff, she has got a job to do: helping young people navigate an increasingly complex world.
From BBC • Mar. 4, 2026
Shadow went and out came back later with some fluff — soft material like pine needles, moss or grass — to warm and cushion the egg.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 25, 2026
He notices the thin layer of silver fluff reappearing on his skull with resignation, then angry despair.
From Salon • Feb. 23, 2026
And that tells you how much fluff was in crypto to begin with.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 15, 2026
He kept adding to this until he had a ball of fluff three inches in diameter.
From "The River" by Gary Paulsen
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
