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adj

woolly

WUU-lee
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Woolly (adj) means Made of wool, or having a soft, thick texture like wool. Example: “He wore a woolly hat to keep his ears warm.”

adj
1
Made of wool, or having a soft, thick texture like wool.
"Put on a woolly jumper and turn down the thermostat."
"He wore a woolly hat to keep his ears warm."
"There was nothing left in the fruit bowl but a brown banana and a couple of woolly pears."
2
Vague, unclear, or poorly thought out.
"Her argument was interesting but a bit woolly around the details."

How to use woolly

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishEither literally covered in or made of wool, or figuratively fuzzy and imprecise in thinking or expression.

UK vs US

This spelling is standard in British English; American English sometimes uses "wooly."

Common pairings
a woolly jumper woolly thinking woolly logic
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Word forms

Plural
woollies
Comparative
woollier
Superlative
woolliest
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Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

He wore a _____ hat to keep his ears warm.

Etymology

From "wool" plus "-y," describing something with a wool-like texture.

muzzy flocculent wooly muddled befuddled addled lanate

Antonyms

Related words

Rhymes for woolly

See all rhymes for woolly →

Frequently asked questions

What does “woolly” mean?
The word “woolly” means made of wool, or having a soft, thick texture like wool. In plain terms, either literally covered in or made of wool, or figuratively fuzzy and imprecise in thinking or expression.
How do you pronounce “woolly”?
“Woolly” is pronounced WUU-lee (/ˈwʊli/ in IPA).
How do you use “woolly” in a sentence?
Here is “woolly” used in a sentence: “He wore a woolly hat to keep his ears warm.”
What part of speech is “woolly”?
“Woolly” is an adjective.
How many meanings does “woolly” have?
“Woolly” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: made of wool, or having a soft, thick texture like wool.

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