muff
Americannoun
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muffs
plural
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a thick, tubular case for the hands, covered with fur or other material, used by women and girls for warmth and as a handbag.
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a bungled or clumsy action or performance.
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Sports. a failure to hold onto a ball that may reasonably be expected to be caught successfully.
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a tuft of feathers on the sides of the head of certain fowls.
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Slang: Vulgar. a woman's pubic area.
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muff glass
verb (used with object)
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muffs,
present (3rd person singular)
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muffed,
past participle, past
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muffing
present participle
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Informal. to bungle; handle clumsily.
He muffed a good opportunity.
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Sports. to fail to hold onto (a ball that may reasonably be expected to be caught successfully); fumble.
verb (used without object)
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muffs,
present (3rd person singular)
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muffed,
past participle, past
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muffing
present participle
verb
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to perform (an action) awkwardly
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(tr) to bungle (a shot, catch, etc) in a game
noun
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any unskilful play in a game, esp a dropped catch
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any clumsy or bungled action
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a bungler
noun
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an open-ended cylinder of fur or cloth into which the hands are placed for warmth
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the tuft on either side of the head of certain fowls
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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muffsimple
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muffssimple
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have muffedperfect
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has muffedperfect
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am muffingprogressive
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are muffingprogressive
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is muffingprogressive
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have been muffingperfect progressive
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has been muffingperfect progressive
Past
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muffedsimple
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had muffedperfect
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was muffingprogressive
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were muffingprogressive
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had been muffingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of muff
1590–1600; < Dutch mof, earlier moffel, muffel mitten, muff < Old North French moufle < early Medieval Latin muffula, perhaps < Frankish
Vocabulary lists containing muff
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.
See Examples For:
Meanwhile, the strength of a brand like “60 Minutes” is its ability to plow through heavy seas emanating from corporate politics—that is, unless overly entitled employees muff it up.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 5, 2026
McCarthy to wreak a muff and a busted play, it had come to sort of figure.
From Washington Post ● Dec. 31, 2022
In 1914, the suffragist Mary Richardson walked into the National Gallery with a hatchet concealed in her muff, then slashed a Velázquez nude in protest against the imprisonment of Emmeline Pankhurst.
From New York Times ● Jul. 6, 2022
Titans’ lone turnover was a muff on a punt return by Adoree’ Jackson.
From Seattle Times ● Oct. 10, 2019
And then they saw bearded Billy Pilgrim in his blue toga and silver shoes, with his hands in a muff.
From "Slaughterhouse-Five" by Kurt Vonnegut
The Venezuelan leader had on what appeared to be noise-canceling ear muffs and grey Nike-branded sweatpants and jacket.
From Barron's ● Jan. 3, 2026
But when, against all odds, he seemingly achieves his goal, he muffs it.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 27, 2025
Sometimes a team gets lucky because the opposing quarterback throws a boneheaded pick-six or a returner muffs a punt.
From Seattle Times ● Nov. 7, 2023
Wearing a mitt the size of a gardening glove, he muffs it.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 24, 2022
It’s foolish to slide down my muffs, with all the noise in the room.
From "Muffled" by Jennifer Gennari
In that game, Reeder recovered a muffed punt.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 23, 2026
He proceeded to hit into his fifth out… except Kerkering muffed the grounder.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 9, 2025
Andre Drummond had 11 points, 17 rebounds and muffed a dunk to the delight of the home crowd when he was stuffed by the front of the rim.
From Seattle Times ● Jan. 2, 2024
The Crimson Tide had touchdown drives of 44 and 55 yards, the first of which came after a muffed punt and the latter following the third of four Wolverine three-and-outs.
From Washington Times ● Jan. 2, 2024
My mouth is dry, hands hard against my muffed ears.
From "Muffled" by Jennifer Gennari
To that point, his signature moment in October might have been muffing a routine fly ball in the decisive Game 5 of the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers last fall.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2025
He was targeted once Sunday on a 6-yard reception, had a 3-yard run and barely avoided disaster when he kicked the ball backward into his own end zone after muffing a punt.
From Seattle Times ● Oct. 25, 2021
Tavon Austin looks to bounce back after muffing a punt last week.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 17, 2017
“It’s tough to gain the trust of the coaches when you keep going out there and keep muffing punts and doing things like that,” he said.
From Washington Times ● Dec. 7, 2016
The others played out the game, slowly, painfully, stumbling on the rough earth, muffing the easiest shots, watched only by the small boy and his sniveling sister.
From Main Street by Sinclair Lewis
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.
