Standard Lemma guide

miff

noun · verb · 6 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Canada, General-American, Received-Pronunciation: /mɪf/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • homophone: myth (th-fronting)
  • rhymes with -ɪf

1

noun

Meaning 1

A small argument; a quarrel.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: tiff

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A state of being offended.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To offend slightly.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive, usually

Examples

  • 1824, Sir Walter Scott, Redgauntlet [...] answered my Thetis, a little miffed perhaps -- to use the women's phrase — that I turned the conversation upon my former partner, rather than addressed it to herself.
  • 1911, James Oliver Curwood, Philip Steele of the Royal Northwest Mounted Police "Don't get miffed about it, man," returned Nome with an irritating laugh.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

To become slightly offended.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

Examples

  • 1905, George Barr McCutcheon, Jane Cable She miffed and started to reply, but thought better of it.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

a state of irritation or annoyance

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: huff, seeing red

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: irritation, annoyance, vexation, botheration

6

verb

Meaning 6

cause to be annoyed

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • His behavior really miffed me

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: anger

History

Etymology

Compare German muffeln (“grouse, grumble”) and similar German words with similar meanings such as Muff, mupf, Muffel and Dutch moppen (“growl, grouse”). Probably related to mop (“grimace”).

Across languages

Translations

38 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: спречкване (sprečkvane) — an argument, quarrel
  • Esperanto: disputo — an argument, quarrel
  • Finnish: kahnaus — an argument, quarrel
  • Finnish: erimielisyys — an argument, quarrel
  • French: fâcherie — an argument, quarrel
  • German: Streit — an argument, quarrel
  • Hungarian: összezördülés — an argument, quarrel
  • Hungarian: civakodás — an argument, quarrel
  • Russian: размо́лвка (razmólvka) — an argument, quarrel
  • Russian: ссо́ра (ssóra) — an argument, quarrel
  • Bulgarian: мусене (musene) — a state of being offended
  • Esperanto: ĉagreniĝo — a state of being offended
  • German: Verstimmung — a state of being offended
  • Russian: оби́да (obída) — a state of being offended
  • Bulgarian: разсърдвам (razsǎrdvam) — to offend slightly
  • Catalan: ofendre — to offend slightly
  • Czech: namíchnout — to offend slightly
  • Czech: nakrknout — to offend slightly
  • Dutch: verontwaardigen — to offend slightly
  • Esperanto: ĉagreni — to offend slightly
  • Finnish: loukata — to offend slightly
  • French: fâcher — to offend slightly
  • Galician: agraviar — to offend slightly
  • German: verstimmen — to offend slightly
  • German: beleidigen — to offend slightly
  • Italian: offendere — to offend slightly
  • Portuguese: amofinar — to offend slightly
  • Spanish: ofensar — to offend slightly
  • Bulgarian: муся се (musja se) — to become slightly offended
  • Bulgarian: сърдя се (sǎrdja se) — to become slightly offended
  • Czech: namíchnout se — to become slightly offended
  • Czech: nakrknout se — to become slightly offended
  • Dutch: zich gekrenkt voelen — to become slightly offended
  • Esperanto: ĉagreniĝi — to become slightly offended
  • Finnish: loukkaantua — to become slightly offended
  • Hebrew: נֶעֱלַב (ne'eláv) — to become slightly offended
  • Portuguese: amofinar-se — to become slightly offended
  • Russian: обижа́ться (obižátʹsja) — to become slightly offended