Huff: meaning, definitions and examples

Huff in another sense can be used similarly to pant and puff, usually indicating someone is out of breath from physical exertion. Slightly informal.

• After jogging for a mile, she was huffing and puffing.
• He was huffing up the stairs with the heavy groceries.

Puff is similar to huff and pant, used when someone is out of breath, often after physical activity. It can also refer to blowing lightly, as in puffing out smoke.

• He climbed the hill, puffing with every step.
• He took a puff of his cigarette and exhaled slowly.

Pant is used to describe breathing heavily and quickly, typically due to physical exertion, stress, or excitement. It is often associated with being out of breath.

• The dog was panting after running around in the park.
• She was panting heavily after the intense workout.

Blow is used in a variety of contexts where air is expelled forcefully from the mouth. It can refer to cooling something, to a physical action like blowing out candles, or even a burst of wind.

• He blew out the candles on his birthday cake.
• She had to blow on her soup to cool it down.

Used when someone is annoyed or angry, and usually shows this by breathing out noisily. This can often be seen as immature or petulant behavior.

• He walked off in a huff when they didn't agree with him.
• She huffed loudly when she couldn't find her keys.

Used when someone is complaining in a low voice, often in a way that is not intended to be clearly heard. It can imply a habit of often finding things to be unhappy about.

• He grumbled under his breath about the delay.
• The workers grumbled about the increased workload.

Used when someone is expressing dissatisfaction or annoyance about a situation or something they do not like. It is more focused on vocalizing discontent.

• She complained to the manager about the poor service.
• He constantly complains about his job.

Used when someone is letting out a long breath to express tiredness, sadness, disappointment, or relief. It is often a more subdued and reflective action.

• She sighed in relief when she finally got the call.
• He sighed deeply, feeling the weight of the day's troubles.

When someone is slightly angry or annoyed and expresses it by breathing out noisily.

• She left the room in a huff after the argument.
• He huffed and walked away when he didn't get his way.

When someone exerts effort, often physically, and breathes heavily, or when someone smokes.

• He was puffing after running up the stairs.
• She took a few puffs on her cigarette before continuing to talk.

When someone is breathing quickly and heavily, usually due to physical exertion or excitement.

• The dog was panting after fetching the ball.
• He was panting and out of breath after the intense workout.

When someone expresses contempt, disgust, or laughter by forcing air through their nose harshly.

• She snorted in disbelief at the ridiculous suggestion.
• He snorted with laughter at the joke.