puffed 1 of 2

adjective

as in swollen
enlarged beyond normal from internal pressure her eyelid was so puffed she couldn't see with that eye

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

puffed

2 of 2

verb

past tense of puff
1
as in gasped
to breathe hard, quickly, or with difficulty he came running up the stairs puffing and wheezing

Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in applauded
to praise too much a talk show host who can be counted on to puff up the celebrities who readily consent to be interviewed

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of puffed
Adjective
The women wore maroon unitards with subtle puffed sleeves, while Danchig-Waring’s tank unitard featured two faces in profile, each hugging a side of his waist. — Laura Regensdorf, Vogue, 20 Oct. 2026 Bake pancake until puffed and brown around edges, 20–25 minutes. — Claire Saffitz, Bon Appetit Magazine, 21 Sep. 2026 Re-cover and let the dough rise again in a warm spot until puffed and some bubbles have formed, about 1 hour. — ABC News, 8 Sep. 2026 Bake, 1 baking sheet at a time, in preheated oven until slightly puffed and golden brown, about 12 minutes. — Marianne Williams, Southern Living, 25 Feb. 2026 Bake until puffed and golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes. — Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Feb. 2026 The restaurant serves both traditional pancakes and a German-style pancake baked until puffed and golden, a menu item that has helped set it apart over the decades. — Kelly McGreal, FOXNews.com, 18 Jan. 2026 The look featured a hood and a puffed silhouette. — Catherine Santino, PEOPLE, 20 Oct. 2025
Verb
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the borders are puffed and deeply golden and the pastry is browned underneath. — Monti Carlo, AJC.com, 23 Oct. 2026 Hutch sat with his back against the palm, eyes puffed and closed. — Gerald R. Hunter, Outdoor Life, 15 Oct. 2026 Uncover and continue baking for 20 to 25 minutes, until the top is puffed and appears dry, and a toothpick inserted into the brownie portion near the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. — ABC News, 14 Oct. 2026 Let rolls sit at room temperature until slightly puffed, about 1 hour. — Hana Asbrink, Bon Appetit Magazine, 1 Oct. 2026 As his players doused each other with beer and puffed smoke throughout the room, Venable said neither cigars nor champagne are quite his style. — Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2026 Bake in preheated oven, rotating pans from top to bottom halfway through, until danishes are puffed and deep golden brown, 12-15 minutes. — Torie Cox, Southern Living, 1 Aug. 2026 The silk taffeta dress was specially woven and dyed ivory and featured a ruffled collar, puffed sleeves, voluminous skirt and, perhaps most notably, a dramatic 25-foot train and 153-yard tulle veil. — Catherine Santino, PEOPLE, 29 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for puffed
  1. swollen
  2. gasped
  3. applauded
  4. panted
  5. stroked
  6. congratulated
  7. praised
  8. commended
Adjective
  • As the cooling metal tool depuffs swollen tissues and stimulates microcirculation, the peptide-rich cream works beneath the surface to rebuild structural volume.
    — Christa Joanna Lee, Glamour, 23 Oct. 2026
  • In addition, her arms were left swollen, blistered and bruised from the lethal injection drugs.
    — Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of swollen
Verb
  • At the premiere, the audience audibly gasped and cheered, even though Austen’s story is well known to many.
    — Emily Zemler, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2026
  • During the film, audience members both laughed and gasped in horror as the events of OpenAI’s founding and 2023 unraveling were brought to screen.
    — Alex Ritman, Variety, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of gasped
Verb
  • Caruso applauded Bass’ support for McDonnell at Tuesday’s event.
    — Itzel Luna, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Fans sang along, waved their glowing lightsticks and, remarkably, applauded when the videos ended.
    — Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of applauded
Verb
  • As Europe panted through rolling heatwaves this summer, I became drawn in by The Perfect Prescription anew.
    — Gabriel Szatan, Pitchfork, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Pet owners spoke reassuringly to their dogs, who panted and pawed their owners, and to their mewing cats.
    — Teri Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 June 2026
Definition of panted
Verb
  • White stroked a 3-pointer and waved his arms over his head to the crowd.
    — Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Charli even stroked the bathroom hand dryer — a clever reference to everybody’s favorite scene in Desperately Seeking Susan.
    — Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of stroked
Verb
  • The tragedy unfolded just one day after the archdiocese congratulated Sánchez Molinari on the anniversary of his ordination, Ecuadorian news outlet Primicias reported.
    — Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Last week, Mancini congratulated Flanagan on his series adaptation of King’s 1974 debut novel.
    — Glenn Garner, Deadline, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of congratulated
Verb
  • More than half of that money has come from a venture capitalist who has publicly praised Elon Musk and a political action committee run by Airbnb, the rental giant currently facing a lawsuit from the city for price gouging during the wildfires.
    — James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Hamas praised the attack in a statement but did not claim responsibility.
    — Jeremy Diamond, CNN Money, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of praised
Verb
  • During his first two years as the Lakers coach, Redick admired Williams’ intent on the defensive end from afar and commended the forward’s willingness to defend other teams’ star players.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Set across more than 144,000 square feet, the factory was commended by the award’s organizer, the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), for integrating greenery into its design.
    — Oscar Holland, CNN Money, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of commended

Browse Nearby Words

puff adders
puffed
puffed (up)
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Puffed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/puffed. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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