as in thump
a hard strike with a part of the body or an instrument
he got a biff in the noggin as his reward for trying to intervene in the fight
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
as in to smack
to deliver a blow to (someone or something) usually in a strong vigorous manner
the elderly woman swung her purse and biffed the mugger upside the head
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of biff
Mike Meehall Wood, Forbes, 25 May 2021
Here are the best biffs: Between now and Saturday night, each of the 25 finalist robots will get one chance to run through the gauntlet.
—Eric Limer, Popular Mechanics, 5 June 2015
Noun
Nobody loves the old school biff more than me.
—Mike Meehall Wood, Forbes, 25 May 2021
Here are the best biffs: Between now and Saturday night, each of the 25 finalist robots will get one chance to run through the gauntlet.
—Eric Limer, Popular Mechanics, 5 June 2015
Recent Examples of Synonyms for biff
Noun
-
Collins brings some thump to the four spot at no cost after next season.—
David Aldridge,
New York Times,
21 Aug. 2025
-
Also, there's a heavy-duty undercarriage with twin wheels, showing that it is designed for carrier operations where the fighter tends to land on the deck with a pretty hard thump.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
17 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Sure, they got smacked by Ohio State, but who didn't last winter?—
Matthew Schmidt,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 Aug. 2025
-
Two 10-ounce bags of Fresh Express lettuce got smacked with Stop Sales.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
12 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Gemma hears a soft thud and imagines Joslin resting his head on the desk.—
Lizz Schumer,
People.com,
9 Aug. 2025
-
Thelma stopped reading at the sound of a commotion: loud thuds and shoes slapping on the floor.—
Joshua Sharpe
August 6,
Literary Hub,
6 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Quick hits Clarkston football defeated Belleville 38-7 at Wayne State to open up the MHSAA season.—
Christian Romo,
Freep.com,
30 Aug. 2025
-
Father Mackie's backstory hits the cutting room floor Loyal Osman readers might be surprised to learn that Father Mackie only has a few on-screen moments in the movie adaptation, and his heartbreaking backstory is largely cut for time.—
Clare Mulroy,
USA Today,
30 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
The expiration of the enhanced subsidies will also deal a major blow to Covered Connecticut, a program that provides no-cost exchange plans to residents who make too much to qualify for Medicaid but still earn 175% or less than the federal poverty level.—
Jenna Carlesso,
Hartford Courant,
13 Aug. 2025
-
The Postal Savings Bank, established in 1911, softened the blow of the Great Depression for millions, before being killed by the big banks in 1967.—
Mark Dimondstein,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Anthony thinks his fiancé wants a mother more than a partner, so Giuseppe slaps a pie into his face?—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
14 Aug. 2025
-
Meanwhile, grey whales rolled in the presence of dolphins 56 times, and southern right whales slapped their pectoral fins on five occasions.—
Brendan Rascius,
Miami Herald,
13 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Watching a top performer walk out after months of training can feel like a gut punch.—
Aaron Marcum,
Forbes.com,
29 Aug. 2025
-
The former Colorado Buffaloes safety was released by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, less than 24 hours after he was ejected in the team's preseason finale for throwing a punch at Buffalo Bills tight end Zach Davidson.—
Michael Gallagher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Oscar campaigners will relentlessly bang the drums through March.—
Anne Thompson,
IndieWire,
28 Aug. 2025
-
For a change, the future of USC football is not banging.—
Brian Hamilton,
New York Times,
27 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Biff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/biff. Accessed 1 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share