Definitions
01soft and hairy
B1 · Intermediate
adj. covered with soft, short hair or fibers.
adj. covered with fuzz or fine, soft, short hairs or fibers.
“The peach has a fuzzy skin that feels soft to the touch.”
“The caterpillar was covered in fuzzy black bristles that served as a defense mechanism against local predators.”
02blurry or out of focus
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adj. not clear or easy to see; blurry.
adj. lacking a clear outline or focus; blurred in appearance.
“The photo was fuzzy because the camera moved while I was taking it.”
“Without his glasses, the distant streetlights appeared as fuzzy glowing orbs against the dark sky.”
Synonyms
03vague or imprecise
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adj. not clear in your mind; confused or not exact.
adj. lacking precision or clarity in thought, expression, or definition.
“I have a fuzzy memory of what happened during the accident.”
“The witness provided only a fuzzy description of the suspect, making it difficult for the police to create an accurate sketch.”
04warm and comforting
B2 · Upper Intermediate Informal
adj. making you feel happy, warm, and loved.
adj. evoking a pleasant feeling of emotional warmth or affection; often used in the phrase 'warm and fuzzy'.
“Watching the old family videos gave her a warm, fuzzy feeling.”
“The charity's advertisement was designed to give viewers a fuzzy feeling of satisfaction for contributing to a good cause.”
Synonyms
05fuzzy logic
C1 · Advanced Computing Technical
adj. a type of computer logic that deals with 'mostly true' or 'partly true' instead of just 'yes' or 'no'.
adj. relating to a form of set theory or logic in which variables may have degrees of truth between 0 and 1.
“The washing machine uses fuzzy logic to decide how much water is needed.”
“The control system employs fuzzy logic to manage the temperature fluctuations more smoothly than a standard thermostat could.”
06the police
C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Slang · British English
n. a slang word for a police officer.
n. a slang term for a police officer or the police force in general.
“He saw the fuzzy coming and quickly hid his skateboard.”
“The local youth often used the term 'the fuzzy' to refer to the patrol officers who frequented the park.”
Teaching tip
This term is somewhat dated and primarily found in British slang; modern learners are more likely to hear 'the feds' or 'the old bill' in the UK.
Real-World Examples
“The student reported feeling “fuzzy” and said her memory of events was “super cloudy”.” “Wagner typically checks these results by searching for small, fuzzy halos around bright points only a pixel wide.” “It’s like looking at a fuzzy picture with people in it.” Etymology
Uncertain. Apparently from fuzz + -y, though some sources suggest that fuzz derives from fuzzy. Compare fozy, or Low German fussig (“loose; spongy”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
Domains
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/fuzzy
「カタカナ語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0