fuzzy

American  

[fuhz-ee] / ˈfʌz i /

adjective

fuzzier, fuzziest

1. of the nature of or resembling fuzz.

   a soft, fuzzy material.

2. covered with fuzz.

   a plant with broad, fuzzy leaves.

3. indistinct; blurred.

   A fuzzy photograph usually means you jiggled the camera.

   Synonyms:

   foggy, unclear, vague, hazy

4. muddleheaded or incoherent.

   a fuzzy thinker; to become fuzzy after one drink.

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fuzzy British  

/ ˈfʌzɪ /

adjective

1. of, resembling, or covered with fuzz

2. indistinct; unclear or distorted

3. not clearly thought out or expressed

4. (of the hair) tightly curled or very wavy

5. maths of or relating to a form of set theory in which set membership depends on a likelihood function

   fuzzy set

   fuzzy logic

6. (of a computer program or system) designed to operate according to the principles of fuzzy logic, so as to be able to deal with data which is imprecise or has uncertain boundaries

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Other Word Forms

• fuzzily adverb
• fuzziness noun

Etymology

Origin of fuzzy

First recorded in 1590–1600; fuzz ¹ + -y ¹

Explanation

Fuzzy things are soft, downy, or furry. Few people can resist the charms of a tiny, fuzzy kitten. Your dad's bearded face is fuzzy, and your favorite mohair sweater is also fuzzy. You can also use this adjective to mean "blurry" or "clouded," the way a badly lit scene in a movie might look fuzzy, with vague shapes moving in the dark. The inside of your head can feel fuzzy too, when you're groggy or dizzy: "I remember getting hit in the head by the soccer ball, but after that everything's fuzzy."

Example Sentences

Any further away than that, and the details get too fuzzy; any closer, and you don’t have a lot of room for adjustments.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 22, 2026

Based on its features, scientists classified it as a thescelosaurid, a group of two-legged dinosaurs found in East Asia and North America that may have had fuzzy coverings.

From Science Daily • Apr. 1, 2026

There was also the fuzzy image of a man entering Natalie's development.

From BBC • Mar. 23, 2026

Seated backstage in a small dressing room, Tweedy grinned beneath a mop of fuzzy hair.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 18, 2026

Jake said a quick “Hi!” to Oliver, the store’s cat, who was lying on his fuzzy blanket underneath the produce rack while scratching at his neck and jingling his collar.

From "The Smartest Kid in the Universe" by Chris Grabenstein

Related Words

• blurred
• dim
• distorted
• faint
• foggy
• hazy
• misty
• murky
• obscure
• unclear
• vague