1 B1 idiomatic informal
(Australian/NZ informal) To make a serious mistake; to ruin or spoil something through error.
"I totally stuffed up the presentation — I forgot to bring the slides."
separable
stuff up
B1 informal separable transitive/intransitive
To ruin or bungle something (Australian/NZ); or to fill a hole or space by pushing material tightly into it.
In plain English
Make a big mistake and ruin something, OR push something into a space to block it up.
What does "stuff up" mean?
3 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B1 neutral
To fill a gap, hole, or cavity by pushing material firmly into it.
"She stuffed up the crack in the wall with old newspaper to keep out the draught."
separable
3 A2 informal
To block a passage in the body (especially the nose), making it difficult to breathe.
"My nose is stuffed up from this cold and I can barely sleep."
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To stuff (push material) up into a space — filling a gap from below.
Actually means
Make a big mistake and ruin something, OR push something into a space to block it up.
Usage tip
The 'make a mistake' sense is predominantly Australian and New Zealand English, equivalent to 'mess up' or 'screw up' in American English. The physical sense (filling a gap) is used more broadly. The mistake sense can also be used as a noun: 'a stuff-up'.
Words that pair with "stuff up"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
presentation interview exam job hole draft
How to conjugate "stuff up"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
stuff up
I/you/we/they
3rd person
stuffs up
he/she/it
Past simple
stuffed up
yesterday
Past participle
stuffed up
have + pp
-ing form
stuffing up
continuous
Hear "stuff up" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "stuff up" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Keep exploring
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