Meaning & use
stuff or stuffs
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Meanings
noununcountableinformal
Things in general, especially when you do not know or do not need to say exactly what they are.
Grammar: Uncountable: no plural, no 'a'. Say 'some stuff', 'a lot of stuff', not 'stuffs'.
Patterns
- some stuff
- a lot of stuff
- all that stuff
I've got so much stuff to do before the trip.
Where do you keep all your stuff?
That's the kind of stuff I like to read about.
verbtransitive
To fill something tightly with something else.
Grammar: Takes an object: stuff the turkey. Often used with 'with': stuff it with rice.
Patterns
- stuff something with something
- stuff something into something
She stuffed the pillow with feathers.
He stuffed his hands into his pockets.
Don't stuff your mouth with food.
nouncountabletechnical
Different kinds of material or substance, used in technical contexts.
Grammar: Rare; used mainly in technical writing: the stuffs used in manufacturing.
Patterns
- various stuffs
- the stuffs used in ...
The factory processes different stuffs, such as plastic and metal.
Chemists study the stuffs that make up these compounds.
Word forms
| third person singular | stuffs |
|---|---|
| past tense | stuffed |
| past participle | stuffed |
| -ing form | stuffing |
Common combinations
- a lot of stuff
- There's a lot of stuff in that box.
- stuff something with something
- She stuffed the bag with clothes.
- all that stuff
- I don't understand all that technical stuff.
Synonyms and how they differ
Word family
Commonly confused: stuff or stuffs or staff? stuff or stuffs or stuffs?
stuff or stuffs vs staff
A different word meaning the people who work for an organization; do not confuse with 'stuff'.
stuff or stuffs vs stuffs
The plural is not used for everyday things; use 'stuff' as uncountable. 'Stuffs' is only for types of material in technical contexts.
Practice
Which sentence is correct?
Choose one answer.
Option 1 is correct because 'stuff' is uncountable, so it has no plural and cannot take 'a' or 'many'. Options 0, 2, and 3 treat it as countable, which is wrong in everyday English.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “stuff or stuffs”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.