# stuffed

/ˈstəft/ (US) · /stˈʌft/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/stuffed
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. full after eating

adjective · CEFR B1 · Informal

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

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

- I couldn't possibly eat another bite of cake; I am absolutely stuffed.
- 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. filled with material

adjective · CEFR B1

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

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

- The child slept every night with a stuffed bear she had owned since birth.
- The attic was crowded with old stuffed chairs and boxes of winter clothing that had been packed away years ago.

### 3. culinary filling

adjective · CEFR B2

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

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

- We had stuffed peppers for dinner, filled with rice and herbs.
- The chef prepared a traditional stuffed turkey, using a family recipe for the breadcrumb and sage filling.

### 4. broken or in trouble

adjective · CEFR C1 · British English · Informal · Slang

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

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

- My old car is finally stuffed; the engine won't even turn over.
- If we don't secure the funding by Friday, the entire project is stuffed and we'll have to let the staff go.

Teaching tip: Common in British, Australian, and New Zealand English; it is a milder alternative to more vulgar terms for being ruined.

### 5. exhausted

adjective · CEFR C1 · British English · Informal · Slang

feeling extremely tired or worn out.

For teachers: experiencing extreme physical or mental exhaustion.

- I've been working in the garden all day and I'm absolutely stuffed.
- By the end of the marathon, the runners looked completely stuffed, barely able to walk to the recovery tents.

## Examples

- I cannot eat any more cake because I am absolutely stuffed.
- After the three-course holiday dinner, everyone sat on the sofa feeling completely stuffed and sleepy.
- Although the host offered a second helping of the roast, the guests politely declined, explaining they were already stuffed from the appetizers.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.