Tuesday word: Futz

[simplyn2deep]

Tuesday, April 21, 2026

Futz (verb, noun, verb phrase)
futz [fuhts]

verb (used without object)
1. to pass time in idleness (usually followed by around ).

noun
2. a fool; simpleton.

verb phrase
3. futz (around) with to handle or deal with, especially idly, reluctantly, or as a time-consuming task: I spent all day futzing with those file folders.

Origin: First recorded in 1905–10; apparently a euphemism for fuck;

Example Sentences
If you didn’t want to futz with the word blockchain but did want Bitcoin exposure, you could buy MicroStrategy stock.
From Slate • Feb. 3, 2026

More important: AI gives you easier access to settings, so you don’t have to futz with menus.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 11, 2026

You can futz with the bread, you can gild the cheese, but if the core is bland or watery or vaguely funereal, the whole enterprise collapses.
From Salon • Dec. 4, 2025

It was incredibly hot to wear silicone, so there wasn’t as much time to futz around.
From New York Times • Feb. 22, 2023

I’m so ambivalent about dieting and my body, but I’m also happy to futz with my double chin.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 15, 2020