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Glite Dictionary
⏳ To waste time 😩 A fuss
to faff

to faff

1 9.9
To spend time on small, unimportant tasks instead of getting things done
  • verb
  • /fæf/
  • UK
translation icon : perder el tiempo
  • Let's not faff and get straight to the point of the meeting.

Examples

  • I forgot to mention—nice little touch from SI that you can now select to add yourself as manager of both a club and nation right from the start of the game, so no more faffing around with retiring the club manager and applying for the job.

    Blog text (25)

  • I need to stop faffing and get on and film because tonight.

  • We have been faffing around in the Middle East since forever.

    Blog text (11)

  • This means you don't have to faff around with microwaves and heating, etc.

    Blog text (9)

  • So, now, from about 60 seconds into the lesson, I have my students working towards their lesson objective rather than still having them talking and faffing around six minutes later.

    Blog text (4)

  • I need to stop faffing and focus on completing my work for the day.

  • She spent the afternoon faffing instead of preparing for her exam.

Synonyms

to waste time
vsto faff
728 1.6

To spend time doing things that are not useful instead of doing something more useful

means diverting effort into trivial tasks instead of what must be done
to fuck around
vsto faff
  • Offensive
75 9.9

To waste time or act carelessly

is similar in meaning but is cruder in tone and register
to fritter away
vsto faff
4 6.0

Waste time or money on small unimportant things

focuses more on short-term needless actions rather than gradual loss over time
to fritter
vsto faff
4 6.8

To waste small amounts of time, money, or energy little by little

is more about needless fiddling with tasks rather than gradual resource loss
to muck around
vsto faff
  • UK
3 8.4

To spend time doing not important things in a relaxed way

is more about fussing and unnecessary actions rather than relaxed idleness
to muck about
vsto faff
  • UK
1 8.7

To spend time doing things that are not important

leans more toward needless busy activity rather than simple aimless passing of time
to futz around
vsto faff
  • Informal
1 9.2

To spend time doing small unimportant things instead of working

is more about fiddly, unnecessary activity rather than casual idleness
to futz
vsto faff
  • Slang
1 9.6

To waste time doing small unimportant tasks

focuses on needless messing rather than relaxed or playful delay
to piss around
vsto faff
  • Offensive
1 9.9

To waste time doing unimportant or silly things instead of doing something important

is less vulgar and more about pointless fussing than coarse behaviour
to waste one's time
vsto faff
3.3

To spend time on things that are not useful

stresses the idea of needless fiddling rather than general unproductive time use
to piddle away
vsto faff
  • Informal
8.6

Spend time or money on unimportant things

tends to mean needless fussing with tasks rather than simple inefficiency
to trifle
vsto faff
7.1

To spend time idly on unimportant things

is more about fiddly, unnecessary actions rather than plain idle time
to trifle away
vsto faff
8.2

To waste time, money, or chances on things that do not matter

implies more fussing and needless detail rather than casual loss of time
to footle away
vsto faff
  • UK
9.6

To waste time doing small, unimportant things

carries a stronger sense of unnecessary busywork rather than mere aimlessness
to faddle
vsto faff
9.9

To waste time on small unimportant things

is broader and can include relaxed avoidance as well as fussing
to frig around
vsto faff
  • Slang
9.9

To waste time instead of doing something useful

suggests more active unnecessary fiddling rather than simple laziness

Antonyms

to prioritize
  • US
77 4.1

Deal with the most important tasks first

How Time-Wasting

to mess around
  • Informal
111 4.1
to faff
  • UK
1 9.9
to dawdle
17 5.0
to get on with
168 2.3

Surface Forms

faff infinitive
faffed past
faffed past participle
faffing present participle
faffs third person singular

Etymology

Faff as a verb comes from the same casual word for fussing and messing about. Think of faffing around as the silly sound of wasting time, and that is why to faff is to 'waste time' or to 'fuss' instead of doing what you should.