ENGLISH
REFERENCE

stuffed

adj.
US //ˈstəft// UK //stˈʌft// stuffed
  1. 1 full after eating (adj.)
    B1 Intermediate Informal

    the feeling of being very full after you have eaten a large meal.

    satiated to the point of discomfort after consuming a large quantity of food.

    Example

    I couldn't possibly eat another bite of cake; I am absolutely stuffed.

    Example

    After the five-course holiday banquet, the guests sat back in their chairs, feeling completely stuffed and unable to move.

    Usage

    Often used with the intensifier 'absolutely'.
  2. 2 filled with material (adj.)
    B1 Intermediate

    filled with soft material, like a toy or a cushion.

    filled or packed with a substance, typically a soft material for padding or preservation.

    Example

    The child slept every night with a stuffed bear she had owned since birth.

    Example

    The attic was crowded with old stuffed chairs and boxes of winter clothing that had been packed away years ago.
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  1. 3 culinary filling (adj.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Cooking

    food that has been filled with a mixture of other ingredients before cooking.

    prepared by having the interior cavity filled with a seasoned mixture.

    Example

    We had stuffed peppers for dinner, filled with rice and herbs.

    Example

    The chef prepared a traditional stuffed turkey, using a family recipe for the breadcrumb and sage filling.
  2. 4 broken or in trouble (adj.)
    C1 Advanced British English Informal Slang

    broken, not working, or in a very difficult situation.

    rendered non-functional or placed in a hopeless situation from which recovery is unlikely.

    Example

    My old car is finally stuffed; the engine won't even turn over.

    Example

    If we don't secure the funding by Friday, the entire project is stuffed and we'll have to let the staff go.

    Teacher's tip

    Common in British, Australian, and New Zealand English; it is a milder alternative to more vulgar terms for being ruined.
  3. 5 exhausted (adj.)
    C1 Advanced British English Informal Slang

    feeling extremely tired or worn out.

    experiencing extreme physical or mental exhaustion.

    Example

    I've been working in the garden all day and I'm absolutely stuffed.

    Example

    By the end of the marathon, the runners looked completely stuffed, barely able to walk to the recovery tents.
Origin

From stuff + -ed.

Idioms3 entries

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