fuzzy

American  

[fuhz-ee] / ˈfʌz i /

adjective

fuzzier, fuzziest

1. of the nature of or resembling fuzz.

   a soft, fuzzy material.

2. covered with fuzz.

   a plant with broad, fuzzy leaves.

3. indistinct; blurred.

   A fuzzy photograph usually means you jiggled the camera.

   Synonyms:

   foggy, unclear, vague, hazy

4. muddleheaded or incoherent.

   a fuzzy thinker; to become fuzzy after one drink.

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fuzzy British  

/ ˈfʌzɪ /

adjective

1. of, resembling, or covered with fuzz

2. indistinct; unclear or distorted

3. not clearly thought out or expressed

4. (of the hair) tightly curled or very wavy

5. maths of or relating to a form of set theory in which set membership depends on a likelihood function

   fuzzy set

   fuzzy logic

6. (of a computer program or system) designed to operate according to the principles of fuzzy logic, so as to be able to deal with data which is imprecise or has uncertain boundaries

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Other Word Forms

• fuzziness
  noun
• fuzzily
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of fuzzy

First recorded in 1590–1600; fuzz ¹ + -y ¹

Explanation

Fuzzy things are soft, downy, or furry. Few people can resist the charms of a tiny, fuzzy kitten. Your dad's bearded face is fuzzy, and your favorite mohair sweater is also fuzzy. You can also use this adjective to mean "blurry" or "clouded," the way a badly lit scene in a movie might look fuzzy, with vague shapes moving in the dark. The inside of your head can feel fuzzy too, when you're groggy or dizzy: "I remember getting hit in the head by the soccer ball, but after that everything's fuzzy."

Example Sentences

At the other end of the bar, Jon Sheldrick, aka DJ Fuzzy, whose show broadcasts from the radio station across the street, had come in for a quick dinner.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 27, 2026

"Fuzzy was a true original whose talent and charisma left an indelible mark on the game of golf."

From Barron's • Nov. 27, 2025

Fuzzy, jangly, lightly contemptuous: “Pies Descalzos, Sueños Blancos” is truly one of the great ’90s rock songs.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 6, 2025

Fuzzy night-time footage shows the bear spending about 30-45 seconds in the car, rummaging around the front and back, before falling out of the open passenger door.

From BBC • Nov. 14, 2024

Fuzzy at first and then it gets patchy with some things so real they are right here now in front of me, and other things stay blurred, and I’m not sure....

From "Flowers for Algernon" by Daniel Keyes

Related Words

• blurred
• dim
• distorted
• faint
• foggy
• hazy
• misty
• murky
• obscure
• unclear
• vague