1
2
as in arrogant
having a feeling of superiority that shows itself in an overbearing attitude he's been acting very huffy ever since he was named head of the department

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of huffy The first, rather vacuous season hinges in part on whether the Russells’ neighbor—the huffy, old-money Agnes van Rhijn (Christine Baranski)—will ever cross Sixty-first Street to visit. Helen Shaw, New Yorker, 11 July 2025 Mister Terrific, who is not a humorous man but is very funny because of it, gets very huffy over Superman’s jibes and storms off. Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 10 July 2025 Inevitably all this tumult attracts the attention of a trio of huffy rival confectioners, Slugworth (Paterson Joseph), Prodnose (Matt Lucas), and Fickelgruber (Mathew Baynton). Peter Rainer, The Christian Science Monitor, 15 Dec. 2023 Thus the mischief of the Allegretto scherzando was made more mischievous: Its huffy pace and hushed dialogues of oboes and flutes interrupted by scrubby strings. Michael Andor Brodeur, Washington Post, 13 May 2023 Opal, a huffy but tender Adrianna Mitchell, frowns beneath the frills she’s forced to wear by her mother Rabby (Benja Kay Thomas, taking everyone to church), and shares Juicy’s search for an alternative way to be. Naveen Kumar, Variety, 12 Apr. 2023 After one unexpectedly circuitous recovery mission, the X-ers sent a huffy correction to the Google Maps team. Steven Levy, WIRED, 17 Feb. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for huffy
Adjective
  • He was adopted two weeks later, but after 18 months in his home, Scoob developed a painful skin condition that caused his ears to bleed and left him extremely irritable.
    Lydia Patrick, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Sep. 2025
  • Instead, Helen is allowed to be irritable and anti-social, chain-smoking and snappish, without the filmmaker casting judgment.
    Peter Debruge, Variety, 2 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • These early years emphasized goofiness, offensiveness, and mocking arrogant celebrities who pushed their platforms at award shows.
    Chris Yogerst, HollywoodReporter, 30 Aug. 2025
  • The announcement was made during a backstage segment involving NXT General Manager Ava and the arrogant superstar Lexis King.
    Andrew Ravens‎, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • The venerable brand has, for well over a century, been a producer of debonair, distinctly British, sport/luxury cars, known mainly for startling good looks and an attitude that is more sophisticated and less tetchy than its Italian rivals.
    Brett Berk, Robb Report, 3 Sep. 2025
  • Britain has since struck a trade deal with the U.S., however, becoming the first country to do so as tetchy trade talks continue for other trading partners, including the European Union which is still waiting to sign a trade agreement with Washington.
    Jenni Reid,Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 11 July 2025
Adjective
  • The Sylvias have expressed some reservations about how cavalier Boy Kavalier has been toward the hybrids’ mental and physical health.
    Noel Murray, Vulture, 27 Aug. 2025
  • Other breeds on the list include Tibetan mastiff, spinone Italiano, cavalier king Charles spniel, Chinese crested, and dogue de Bordeaux, among the most popular.
    Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Bella, now three and a half years old, was described by Overbye as calm, sensitive, quiet, smart, and playful.
    Lydia Patrick, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Sep. 2025
  • Prevent this by grounding AI in your documents and adding human review for sensitive content.
    Louis Mosca, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • It’s also oddly bifurcated into two noticeably chunks, with the first half focusing on Hank and Yvonne’s tender but touchy, highly tectchy relationship and the second half leaning into the gonzo forward momentum of a get-the-dough crime flick.
    David Fear, Rolling Stone, 28 Aug. 2025
  • After Caroline's statement, a Kennedy family insider told PEOPLE that there's always been a touchy dynamic between JFK's daughter and the many children of RFK, noting that Caroline's attack merely brought the tension to the surface.
    Rachel Raposas, People.com, 26 Aug. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Huffy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/huffy. Accessed 13 Sep. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on huffy

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!