cliff

noun

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

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 on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The effect is genuinely frightening—like a locomotive going off a cliff at full speed. Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 21 Nov. 2024 Zoom out: The restaurant business fell off a cliff during the pandemic but bounced back quickly. Annalise Frank, Axios, 19 Nov. 2024 Monroe County Sheriff’s Office The case began when a man claiming to be Brandon Andrade called 911 and claimed that was injured after he was chased by a bear and fell off a cliff, authorities have said. Phil Helsel, NBC News, 12 Nov. 2024 The government’s latest employment figures released Friday showed the job market is cooling in an orderly fashion, not falling off a cliff, when stripping out the temporary effects of recent labor strikes and natural disasters on data. Bryan Mena, CNN, 3 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for cliff 

Word History

Etymology

Middle English clif, from Old English; akin to Old High German klep cliff, Old Norse klif

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of cliff was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near cliff

Cite this Entry

“Cliff.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cliff. Accessed 4 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

cliff

noun
: a high steep surface of rock, earth, or ice

More from Merriam-Webster on cliff

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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