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slang.fyi

buff

/bʌf/

Very Common

To strengthen something, or a temporary power boost in a game.

As a verb (they buffed it) it means developers made it stronger. As a noun (I have a buff) it means a temporary in-game enhancement. Both are positive.

Real-world examples4 examples
#ExampleWhat it meansSource
01they finally buffed the worst gun in the game. it actually hits now.The developers strengthened the weakest weapon and it's usable now.reddit, 2024
02coffee is just a real life buff honestlyCoffee gives you a temporary boost, like a power-up in a game.x, 2024
03this character has needed a buff for three seasons and they keep ignoring itThis character has been weak for a long time and developers won't fix it.reddit, 2024
04getting 8 hours of sleep is an insane buff that nobody usesFull sleep improves your day totally but most people skip it.x, 2023

Use it when

  • A game developer made a weapon, character, or ability stronger.
  • Your character received a temporary power enhancement in-game.
  • Something in real life got improved or upgraded.
  • You want to request that something underpowered be strengthened.

Do not use it when

  • Something is overpowered and you think it's unfair. That's a different complaint.
  • You mean physically muscular. Different usage of the word.

Variations and related forms

buffed

Past tense. Something that has been strengthened.

Buff vs nerf

buff

Buff means something was made stronger or more effective.

VS

nerf

Nerf means something was made weaker or less effective.

Origin and context

Comes from early MMORPGs where spells that temporarily enhanced a character's stats were called buffs. The term expanded to describe developer-driven balance changes that make things stronger.

First seen
late-1990s
Confidence
high

Cite this page

Use this stable URL to reference the entry.

https://slang.fyi/buff
Updated: 2026-08-25License: CC BY 4.0

Related slang

nerfmetaggsweaty