Dictionary

nerf en · VERB · etymology 1

Pronunciation

• /nɝf/ (General-American)
• /nɜːf/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• (Australia) audio

Etymology

Circa 1950s?

Meanings

1. (transitive) To bump lightly, whether accidentally or purposefully.
   • "The crazy fool!" Ricky exclaimed. "Nerfing me!" 1953, Henry Gregor Felsen, Street Rod, Random House, page 129:
   • A racer will often nerf another as a psychological tactic.

Forms

Deriveds

nerf ball · nerf bar · nerf net

nerf en · NOUN · etymology 2

Pronunciation

• /nɝf/ (General-American)
• /nɜːf/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• (Australia) audio

Etymology

From the Nerf brand of toys designed as non-dangerous counterparts of existing things, such as sports balls and guns. Originally used to equate a change in the damage of a weapon in a video game to a change from real weapons to Nerf weapons.

Meanings

1. (slang) The deterioration, weakening or worsening of a character, a weapon, a spell, etc.

Forms

wikipedia: Nerf

nerf en · VERB · etymology 2

Pronunciation

• /nɝf/ (General-American)
• /nɜːf/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• (Australia) audio

Etymology

From the Nerf brand of toys designed as non-dangerous counterparts of existing things, such as sports balls and guns. Originally used to equate a change in the damage of a weapon in a video game to a change from real weapons to Nerf weapons.

Meanings

1. (slang, transitive) To change a mechanic, an ability, or a character in a video game in order to make less efficacious.
   • The lightning spell was originally pretty powerful, but in the sequel they nerfed it so it became completely useless.
2. (slang, transitive) To arbitrarily limit or reduce the capability of.
   • Tesla nerfs Autopilot in Europe due to new regulations 2019 May 17, Fred Lambert, Electrek, retrieved 19 May 2019:

Forms

Antonyms

ameliorate · improve · renew · renovate · revamp · buff

Deriveds

stealth nerf

Synonyms

gimp · worsen · defang · deteriorate · cripple · debuff · declaw · degenerate

Translations (14)

pt nerfar (to arbitrarily limit or reduce one's capacity) · scn nirfari (to arbitrarily limit or reduce one's capacity) · de nerfen (to arbitrarily limit or reduce one's capacity) · es menguar (to arbitrarily limit or reduce one's capacity) · th เนิร์ฟ (to arbitrarily limit or reduce one's capacity) · es reducir (to arbitrarily limit or reduce one's capacity) · ru не́рфить (to arbitrarily limit or reduce one's capacity) · ru поне́рфить (to arbitrarily limit or reduce one's capacity) · es debilitar (to arbitrarily limit or reduce one's capacity) · ja ナーフ (to arbitrarily limit or reduce one's capacity) · it nerfare (to arbitrarily limit or reduce one's capacity) · es nerfear (to arbitrarily limit or reduce one's capacity) · tr nerflemek (to arbitrarily limit or reduce one's capacity) · fr nerfer (to arbitrarily limit or reduce one's capacity)

wikipedia: Nerf