Meaning & use

faff

verb·Everyday

Last updated

To waste time doing unnecessary or unproductive things instead of what actually needs to be done.

See it in a sentence

Stop faffing about and get ready—we're already late.

We spent an hour faffing with the printer before it finally worked.

A note on using this word

Mainly used in British and Irish English, often in the phrase 'faff about' or 'faff around.' Also used as a noun, as in 'what a faff.'

Words with a similar meaning

dawdledither

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “faff”, then compare your use with the examples above.

Your draft stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.