What does miffing mean?
Miffing means annoyed, irritated, or put out, and can also describe the act of annoying someone. It is a distinctly informal word with a mildly dismissive or impatient tone, often suggesting annoyance that is obvious but not especially dramatic. “Miffing” is particularly common in the expression “miffed at,” as in “she was miffed at the sudden change of plan.” The related verb “miff” means to irritate or displease someone, and “miffed” is its usual past tense and past participle. Although the word is recognized in standard English, it is less common than broader alternatives such as “annoyed,” “irritated,” and “displeased.” It is useful when the writer wants a vivid, slightly old-fashioned or conversational way to convey irritation without sounding highly formal.
Annoyed, irritated, or put out.
"The child was miffing because his favorite game had been taken away."
Informal; often used with “at” to identify the source of the annoyance.
To annoy or irritate someone.
"The delay miffed the passengers."
Usually transitive and informal; the more familiar inflected forms are “miffed” and “miffing.”
Miffing is the wonderfully blunt way of saying that something has put you out of sorts.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does miffing come from?
Miff is a relatively uncommon English word whose precise historical origin is not securely documented. It has been used in the sense of being annoyed or offended, as well as in the sense of causing annoyance. The form is related to the standard family built on the stem “miff,” including “miffed” and “miffs,” but it is not a native formation with a clearly established ancient root.
Related word forms
How miffing is actually used
Informal and relatively uncommon. It is often used with “at” to express annoyance: “miffed at the delay.” As a verb, it is usually transitive and takes a person or thing as its object.