puffing (up)

present participle of puff (up)

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for puffing (up)
Verb
  • Tired of all of those hot, humid storms rolling up from the tropics and making October in Los Angeles feel like August in Miami?
    — Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The image was of Uncle Sam, rolling up his sleeves and wading in to do the right things.
    — Robert Stone, Rolling Stone, 11 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Beyond pressuring quarterbacks and blowing up run plays behind the line of scrimmage, Harris has also forced three fumbles on the season.
    — Steven Johnson October 27, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 Oct. 2026
  • You’ve been clocked in on TikTok from the second the song started blowing up again.
    — Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 25 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • China is building up its military and AI capabilities despite limited access to advanced computer chips.
    — Josh Boak, Fortune, 20 Sep. 2026
  • Boone said the final few steps for Judge’s return include building up his workload because he has been sidelined for over three months with a stress fracture of the first rib on his right side.
    — Chris Kirschner, New York Times, 5 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Beyond domestic challenges, CATL is also scrambling to build more plants in Europe to avoid running afoul of increasing EU protectionism.
    — Brendan Ruberry, semafor.com, 21 Oct. 2026
  • While the disease remains more common among women over 50, diagnoses among younger women are increasing, prompting cancer specialists to encourage earlier conversations about individual risk.
    — Melissa May, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026
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.

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Cite this Entry

“Puffing (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/puffing%20%28up%29. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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