stuff

SaySTUFUK/stʌf//stɐf/

26 meanings of stuff

1
mattersnouncolloquialuncountable
Things in general, when you do not say exactly what they are.
I have a lot of stuff to do before the trip.
We talked about school, friends, and other stuff.
UsageSay a lot of stuff (not ~~incorrect: stuffs~~).
Similarthings, matters
2
nouncolloquialuncountable
Things in general, or the things a person owns, including things in their home.
Please pick up your stuff from the living room floor.
The garage is full of old stuff nobody uses anymore.
UsageSay my stuff or your stuff for the things someone owns.
Similarthings, belongings, possessions, gear
3
verbtransitive
To fill something very full, or to push something quickly into a small space.
He stuffed his backpack with books until the zipper would not close.
Don't stuff the drawer, or it will get stuck.
UsageStuff a bag with clothes, or stuff clothes into a bag.
Similarcram, pack, jam, squeeze
Oppositeempty, unpack
Note
4
fill (cooking)verbtransitive
To fill a food with a tasty mix before you cook it.
Grandma stuffs the turkey with bread and herbs every Thanksgiving.
We can stuff the peppers with rice and cheese tonight.
UsageStuff the turkey with bread and herbs.
Similarfill
Note
5
nouncolloquialuncountable
A material or substance, especially when you don't know or don't say exactly what it is.
There's some sticky stuff on the bottom of my shoe.
What's that green stuff growing on the rocks?
UsageSay some stuff or that stuff.
Similarsubstance, material
Note
6
essencenoununcountable
The qualities inside a person or thing that make it what it is.
Like the wood inside a table, but for a person's character.
She showed what stuff she was made of when times got hard.
Winning takes the kind of stuff you cannot learn from a book.
UsageOften the stuff of dreams, or what stuff someone is made of.
Similarsubstance, material, matter
Note
7
fill with paddingverbtransitive
To make something by filling it with soft material until it has its shape.
She stuffed a scarecrow with old straw for the garden.
Workers stuff the toy bears with cotton at the factory.
Similarfill, pad, pack
8
preserve dead animalverbtransitive
To fill the skin of a dead animal so it looks alive again.
The museum stuffed the rare bird so visitors could see it up close.
People used to stuff animals they hunted and hang them on the wall.
Similarmount, preserve

Less common meanings

9
verbtransitivepronominal
To eat so much food that you feel very full.
The kids stuffed themselves with pizza at the birthday party.
Don't stuff your face right before bed.
UsageSay stuff yourself with food, or more rudely, stuff your face.
Similargorge
10
rubbishnouneuphemisticuncountable
Worthless things, or silly talk that does not make sense.
Don't believe that stuff about ghosts in the basement.
The shed was full of broken stuff fit only for the dump.
UsageOften stuff and nonsense, meaning silly talk.
Similarnonsense, rubbish, garbage, junk, trash
Note
11
reject rudelyverbmildly vulgartransitiveimperative
To say rudely that you reject something completely.
He told the company to stuff its job offer.
Stuff your advice. I'll do it my own way.
UsageSaid as stuff your advice or you can stuff it.
Similarforget, damn, screw
Note
12
beat badlyverbcolloquialtransitive
To beat someone badly in a game or contest.
Their team stuffed ours seven to one last weekend.
If we play like that again, they'll stuff us.
Similarthrash, trounce, crush, beat, rout
13
drugsnounslanguncountable
A slang word for illegal drugs, especially heroin.
Heroin was cheap in his town, and he was soon hooked on the stuff.
The dealer kept his stuff hidden in a shoebox under the bed.
UsageUsually the stuff.
Similardope, drug, gear, horse
Note
14
breakverbAustraliaBritishNew Zealandtransitive
To break something so badly it cannot be used.
Dad completely stuffed the TV when he tried to fix it himself.
Don't drop my new camera, or you'll stuff the lens.
UsageIt's stuffed means it is broken.
Similarbreak, wreck, ruin, bust, fry
Oppositefix, repair, mend
Note
15
block upverbtransitive
To block a part of the body, like the nose, so air cannot pass.
Like a blocked pipe that lets no water through.
My nose is so stuffed that I can't smell my food.
Spring pollen can stuff up his nose for weeks.
UsageOften my nose is stuffed up.
Similarblock, clog, congest, plug, bung
Oppositeclear, unblock, decongest
Note
16
load (shipping)verbtransitive
To load boxes or goods into a large container so they can be shipped.
Workers stuffed the container with furniture bound for the port.
The crew will stuff the last container before the ship leaves.
Similarload, pack, fill
Oppositeunload, unpack, strip
17
have sexverbvulgarAustraliaBritishNew Zealandtransitive
To have sex with someone by entering their body.
He bragged to his mates that he'd stuffed her.
The men at the pub joked about which film stars they'd like to stuff.
Similarscrew, fuck, root
Note
18
fill mindverbdatedtransitive
To fill someone's head with too many facts or with silly stories.
Grandpa stuffed my head with silly stories about pirates.
Cramming for a test will stuff your head with facts you soon forget.
Similarcram, fill, load, overload, pack
Note
19
noundateduncountable
An old slang word for money, used among criminals.
Similarmoney, cash, loot, dough
Note
20
nounobsoleteuncountable
Medicine, or a mix of medicines, that a sick person takes.
Note
21
nounarchaicuncountable
Woven cloth for making clothes, especially cloth made of wool.
She was going out to buy some lengths of good woollen stuff for Louise's winter dresses.
1992, Hilary Mantel, A Place of Greater SafetyHere, stuff means woven cloth for making clothes, especially wool.
"And you can buy a dress for your wife off this piece of stuff," said Lisetta, who had always an eye to business.
1857, The National Magazine, volumes 10-11
Similarmaterial, fabric
Note
22
nounarchaicuncountable
Wooden boards used for building houses and other things.
Similarmaterial, lumber, boards
Note
23
verb
In a race, to suddenly cut in front of another racer and ruin their path.
24
verb
To make computer files smaller by packing them into one StuffIt file.
25
noun
The wet, mashed-up material that paper is made from at a paper mill.
26
noun
A melted mix of fat and pine sap that sailors rub on a ship's wood.
While the ships were placed in ordinary “a thick coat of stuff” was applied to the hulls, and their awnings might be spread or sheds erected to provide some protection from sun and weather.
2012, Thomas Williams, American Honor: The Story of Admiral Charles Stewart

Practice

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Origins

Meanings 1–2, 5–6, 10, 13, 19–22

This word came into Middle English from Old French words like estofe, going back through Old High German to an old Germanic word meaning to fill or block up.

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 3 facts

Stuff entered Middle English from Old French forms including estofe. en.wiktionary.org
The French word traces back through Old High German to Proto-West Germanic. en.wiktionary.org
The Germanic ancestor meant to fill or block up. en.wiktionary.org

Meanings 3–4, 7–9, 11–12, 14–18

The verb came from Middle English stuffen (“to equip, furnish”), from Old French, going back through Old High German to a Germanic word meaning to fill or block up.

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 3 facts

The verb derives from Middle English stuffen, meaning “to equip, furnish”. en.wiktionary.org
Middle English stuffen was borrowed from Old French. en.wiktionary.org
The Old French source derives through Old High German from a Germanic word meaning to fill or block up. en.wiktionary.org