Home / Dictionary / Stuff

Stuff Very Common

Stuff has 16 different meanings across 2 categories:

Noun · Verb

Definitions
Noun
1

the tangible substance that goes into the makeup of a physical object

"coal is a hard black material"

"wheat is the stuff they use to make bread"

2

miscellaneous unspecified objects

"the trunk was full of stuff"

3

informal terms for personal possessions

"did you take all your clobber?"

4

senseless talk

"don't give me that stuff"

5

unspecified qualities required to do or be something

"the stuff of heros"

"you don't have the stuff to be a United States Marine"

6

information in some unspecified form

"it was stuff I had heard before"

"there's good stuff in that book"

7

a critically important or characteristic component

"suspense is the very stuff of narrative"

8

Miscellaneous items or objects; (with possessive) personal effects.

"Before we pack for the trip, let's make sure all your stuff is in the car."

In plain English: Stuff is a general word used to describe things when you don't want to name them specifically.

"I need to find somewhere to put all this stuff before we leave."

Verb
1

cram into a cavity

"The child stuffed candy into his pockets"

2

press or force

"Stuff money into an envelope"

"She thrust the letter into his hand"

3

obstruct

"My nose is all stuffed"

"Her arteries are blocked"

4

overeat or eat immodestly; make a pig of oneself

"She stuffed herself at the dinner"

"The kids binged on ice cream"

5

treat with grease, fill, and prepare for mounting

"stuff a bearskin"

6

fill tightly with a material

"stuff a pillow with feathers"

7

fill with a stuffing while cooking

"Have you stuffed the turkey yet?"

8

To fill by packing or crowding something into; to cram with something; to load to excess.

"He tried to stuff all his dirty laundry into the tiny hamper, but it kept spilling out onto the floor."

In plain English: To stuff something means to pack it tightly until it is full or overflowing.

"Don't stuff so many clothes into that small suitcase or the zipper might break."

Usage: Use this verb when describing the act of tightly filling a container, often implying that items are being crowded in without regard for neatness. It is commonly used informally rather than in formal writing where more precise terms like "pack" or "fill" might be preferred.

Example Sentences
"I need to find somewhere to put all this stuff before we leave." noun
"Don't stuff so many clothes into that small suitcase or the zipper might break." verb
"I need to stuff all these groceries into my small car trunk before it rains." verb
"She decided not to stuff her face with cake after eating such a heavy dinner already." verb
"The kids played until they were so tired that their parents had to stuff them into bed immediately." verb
Related Terms
Antonyms
loosen up
Broader Terms (hypernyms)
substance object personal property nonsense quality information kernel cram push clog eat impregnate fill
Narrower Terms (hyponyms)
ballast bedding material rind recycling precursor atom ammunition floccule HAZMAT aggregate raw material sorbate sorbent diamagnet mineral rock adhesive material sealing material animal material fluff bimetal abrasive chemical composite material conductor insulator contaminant particulate dust elastomer earth discharge detritus waste fiber filling foam homogenate humate impregnation paper packing material coloring material plant material radioactive material thickening toner transparent substance undercut builder vernix wad doodad etcetera sundries jam overstuff pad cork

Origin

The word "stuff" comes from the Middle English term for filling or equipping something, which traveled into English via Medieval Latin and Old French. Its ultimate origin is an ancient Germanic root meaning to clog up, block, or fill a space.

Rhyming Words
luff ruff buff duff nuff guff huff kuff cuff puff muff wuff tuff scuff chuff bluff snuff sluff fluff knuff
Compare
Stuff vs