nerf

verb
/nɜːf/UK/nɝf/US

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.

Definitions

  1. To bump lightly, whether accidentally or purposefully.

    • A racer will often nerf another as a psychological tactic.
    • "The crazy fool!" Ricky exclaimed. "Nerfing me!"
  2. To change a mechanic, an ability, or a character in a video game in order to make less…

    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.
  3. To arbitrarily limit or reduce the capability of.

    • Tesla nerfs Autopilot in Europe due to new regulations
  4. + 2 more definitions
    1. The deterioration, weakening or worsening of a character, a weapon, a spell, etc.

    2. Acronym of neural radiance field.

The neighborhood

Vish — recursive loop

No curated loop yet for nerf. Loops are being traced one word at a time while the ingestion pipeline matures.

sense glosses and etymology drawn from English Wiktionary · source · CC-BY-SA