miff: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowInformal, somewhat dated
Quick answer
What does “miff” mean?
To cause slight annoyance or offense.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
To cause slight annoyance or offense; to put in a bad mood.
A state of petty annoyance or a minor quarrel.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Slightly more common in British English, but rare in both varieties.
Connotations
Both varieties perceive it as old-fashioned and whimsical.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in contemporary corpora for both.
Grammar
How to Use “miff” in a Sentence
[Someone] is/was miffed (about/at/by [something])[Something] miffs [someone]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “miff” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- His constant lateness really miffed her.
- Don't be miffed by his silly comment.
American English
- It miffed me when they forgot my order.
- She was clearly miffed at the last-minute cancellation.
adverb
British English
- Not standardly used as an adverb.
American English
- Not standardly used as an adverb.
adjective
British English
- He had a rather miffed expression on his face.
- She sounded miffed on the phone.
American English
- The miffed customer asked to speak to the manager.
- He's been miffed all day about the parking ticket.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Might be used humorously in informal internal communication: 'He was a bit miffed about the meeting change.'
Academic
Virtually never used.
Everyday
Used in informal conversation to describe minor, often humorous annoyance.
Technical
Not used.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “miff”
- Using it for serious anger (e.g., 'I was miffed when I was fired' is too weak).
- Overusing it in formal contexts.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is quite rare and considered somewhat old-fashioned or humorous in modern English.
Yes, but it's even rarer. 'He's in a miff' means he's in a state of petty annoyance.
'Miffed' is much milder. It suggests a temporary, often silly or minor irritation, whereas 'angry' is a stronger, more serious emotion.
It is strictly informal and would sound out of place in formal, academic, or technical writing.
To cause slight annoyance or offense.
Miff: in British English it is pronounced /mɪf/, and in American English it is pronounced /mɪf/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “In a miff (meaning in a state of petty annoyance)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a cat getting its fur 'miffed' up when slightly annoyed.
Conceptual Metaphor
ANNOYANCE IS A PHYSICAL RUFFLING (to be miffed is to have one's feathers ruffled).
Practice
Quiz
Which situation best describes someone being 'miffed'?