tufted

American  

[tuhf-tid] / ˈtʌf tɪd /

adjective

1. furnished or decorated with tufts.

2. formed into or growing in a tuft or tufts.

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tufted British  

/ ˈtʌftɪd /

adjective

1. having a tuft or tufts

2. (of plants or plant parts) having or consisting of one or more groups of short branches all arising at the same level

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Other Word Forms

• untufted adjective

Etymology

Origin of tufted

First recorded in 1600–10; tuft + -ed ³

Explanation

Something that's tufted has or is decorated with wispy clusters, like the tufted feathers on a baby bird's head. A tuft is a clump or cluster of something soft and flexible, and the word probably comes from the Old French touffe, "tuft of hair." So things that are tufted have or resemble tufts. There may, for example, be tufted grass growing between the bricks on a sidewalk, or soft, tufted fur on your dog's belly.

Example Sentences

The grand living room has a double-height ceiling, arched windows, French doors, robin’s-egg blue wall, a purple tufted bar, and a pink, lavender, and fuchsia pool table.

From MarketWatch • Oct. 15, 2025

The club was compact and cozy, with tufted couches and red velvet curtains.

From Slate • Mar. 31, 2024

Strings of faux roses and fairy lights hung from the ceiling, illuminating a metallic tufted sofa.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 10, 2024

Otherwise Nick and the various characters peel groups of audience members away to separate rooms off the main ballroom: lounges and boudoirs styled with domestic extravagances of the time, including tufted velvet couches and chaises.

From New York Times • Jun. 29, 2023

Her face was perfectly round, with dimples so deep that when she smiled, she looked tufted, like a cushion.

From "Eleanor & Park" by Rainbow Rowell