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To diminish the power or effectiveness of...
To make less potent.

Originally, this was a product line of foam based toys for children. It was adopted by the online gaming community to refer to the reduction in power of a game feature for the sake of balance.

This term is now seeing more widespread generic usage, usually in reference to mechanical devices, or personal powers within a business framework.

antonyms: Buff(v), Spike(v)
My dad totally nerfed my access to the internet. Life suxx0rz since the advent of the NetNanny!

Did you hear that Henley got Nerfed?? It's probably because he handled the Parker account so poorly.
nerf by PythonDragon May 13, 2004
Related Words
Usually in first person shooters and RPGs, when game developers think a weapon is far too powerful, and threatens the stability of the game, and weakens the aspects of that power drmatically to rebalance it.
When diablo 2 came out, everyone played either a necromancer or a barbarian. Now necromancers is nerfed to a point where its intolerably difficult to duel against other players without people just dodging your summoned minions and shove a axe into your face.
nerf by Chang Tan October 26, 2003
it's nerf or nothin
nerf by Autudell July 6, 2020
Nerfs are grumpy, antlered herbivores, resembling yaks, raised on many planets, including Alderaan, Gestron and Corellia, for their milk and meat. Herders of the beasts are well known for being as scruffy looking and surly as their livestock, and to be called a "nerf herder" (as Han Solo is by Princess Leia) is considered a strong insult.
"Why you stuck-up, half-witted, scruffy-looking nerf herder!"
Never
Effective

Ratchet

Fix

Most of the time these things don't fix anything
Damn! Blizzard nerfed road hog so hard that he can't even be played
Nerf by Androxus November 2, 2018
Miracle foam compound created by Hasbro. it has the sheer power to be resistant to most shocks or crushes, second to duct tape.
"Hey, let's toss around the Nerf ball!"
John had gotten himself a new Nerf blaster, confident that the office would not be safe to walk through without being pierced by darts again.
Nerf by Nesbro October 23, 2011