Stuffed describes something that has been filled to capacity, whether that's a turkey packed with seasoning and bread for Thanksgiving dinner, a backpack crammed so full of books that you can barely zip it, or your stomach after eating three slices of pizza.

When something is stuffed, it's packed tight, with no room left. A stuffed animal (like a teddy bear) gets its name because it's filled with soft material like cotton or foam that gives it shape and makes it huggable. People also stuff envelopes with letters, stuff pillows with feathers, or stuff a piñata with candy.

The word also describes that uncomfortable feeling of being too full after eating. When you say “I'm stuffed,” you mean you've eaten so much that you couldn't possibly fit another bite. Your stomach feels stretched and heavy, and you probably just want to lie down for a while.

When your nose is stuffed up during a cold, it means blocked or clogged with mucus, making it hard to breathe. This meaning captures that same sense of being too full: your nasal passages are so packed with swollen tissue and mucus that air can't flow through properly.