cliff

noun \ ˈklif \

Updated on: 18 May 2018

Definition of cliff

: a very steep, vertical, or overhanging face of rock, earth, or ice : precipice

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cliffy

play \ˈkli-fē\ adjective

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Examples of cliff in a Sentence

Standing at the edge of the cliff, we watched the waves crash on the shore far below.
rock climbers scaling steep cliffs

Recent Examples of cliff from the Web

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, while billionaires bicker over cobalt, the president is driving his country off a cliff.

— The Economist, "Africa’s economies are turning a corner," 10 May 2018
The ultimate example of his willingness to trade is his choice to throw his adopted daughter Gamora off a cliff in order to obtain the Soul Stone.

— alex abad-santos, Vox, "Avengers: Infinity War feels like the beginning of a goodbye to Captain America," 9 May 2018
She's forced to cross the lines into another park, heads to the edge of a cliff, frantically reloads her weapon, and fires off one last round into the tiger — but not before the creature slams into her, sending both of them over the edge.

— josh wigler, The Hollywood Reporter, "'Westworld' Subverts Shogun World Expectations With a Clever Detour," 6 May 2018
An injury to closer Corey Knebel put the late innings up for grabs, with three consecutive failures in protecting one-run leads until Matt Albers came through Wednesday in a 3-2 cliff-hanger over the St. Louis Cardinals.

— tom haudricourt, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "During injuries and challenges, the Brewers have kept their heads above water thus far," 11 Apr. 2018
The private palace on a cliff was recognized in the 1960s for featuring contemporary furniture in a traditional architectural context.

— lily dierkes, Town & Country, "Knoll Gets a Mod New Makeover in Los Angeles," 21 Feb. 2018
The other Liars show up just in time to save Spencer and watch Mona fall off a cliff!

— jelani addams rosa, Seventeen, "#RIPMona?! Her 7 Most Shocking Moments On Pretty Little Liars!," 18 Feb. 2015
Some of the losses were more than double what Wall Street analysts expected, and stocks in major TV providers have fallen off a cliff.

— david z. morris, Fortune, "Viewers Are Ditching Cable For Streaming Faster Than Anyone Expected," 29 Apr. 2018
Clarkson, who went 0-for-4 in the second half, was described the other day as falling off a cliff, with accompanying YouTube footage of Wile E. Coyote, the plunging predator of many cartoons, in an acerbic fellow's recent column (blush).

— bill livingston, cleveland.com, "Cavaliers-Pacers: LeBron James quarterbacks win to even series -- Bill Livingston (photos)," 22 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'cliff.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.