biff 1 of 2

noun

ˈbif How to pronounce biff (audio)
Definition of biffnext
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

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biff

2 of 2

verb

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
Verb
Keldon Johnson biffed reckless drives to the basket. — Jon Krawczynski, New York Times, 7 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for biff
  1. thump
  2. smack
  3. thud
  4. hit
  5. blow
  6. slap
  7. punch
  8. bang
Noun
  • Their pitching is good, Griffin Jax could return soon, and Liam Hicks has added some thump to a lineup previously built around three really good hitters (Junior Caminero, Yandy Díaz, Jonathan Aranda) and a bunch of do-your-job role players.
    — Grant Brisbee, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
  • The lower-vocal harmony struggles to stand out any time the deeper bass thumps.
    — Mark Knapp, PC Magazine, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of thump
Verb
  • Other gamblers just don’t want to get swindled, so anything that smacks too clearly of insider trading can get you in trouble.
    — Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Nevertheless, the upper stage smacked into Earth’s only natural satellite at seven times the speed of sound on August 5.
    — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of smack
Noun
  • Crystal will also make a deep, long, ringing sound when it’s tapped, but glass will make a short thud.
    — Jennifer Prince, Southern Living, 18 Aug. 2026
  • The movement feels fluid but also brutally impactful when Wolvie lands claws-first on an unsuspecting enemy with a thud.
    — Jordan Moreau, Variety, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of thud
Verb
  • Dramatic footage shows a torrent of water hitting at the Nepal-China border.
    — Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Parton earned dozens of top 10 country hits, and her professional ambitions grew along with her career.
    — Jewly Hight, NPR, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of hit
Noun
  • Ferran Torres Torres was not the first-choice striker for Spain at the World Cup, but that did not stop him from landing the decisive blow after his team-mates had spent 106 minutes dominating Argentina without a breakthrough.
    — Cerys Jones, New York Times, 22 Aug. 2026
  • But the federal agency that has required companies to collect and report demographic workforce data since 1966 is now working to end that practice, a move some critics say would be a huge blow to civil rights enforcement.
    — Mirtha Donastorg, AJC.com, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of blow
Verb
  • European energy prices rose drastically in the wake of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, as Western governments slapped Moscow with sanctions and looked for alternative sources of oil and gas.
    — Chloe Taylor, CNBC, 21 Aug. 2026
  • After making the grab, Allen celebrated briefly, then slapped hands with Delane.
    — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of slap
Noun
  • Carter, for the Giants, earlier threw a punch at Paul in 1-on-1 drills.
    — David Furones, Sun Sentinel, 20 Aug. 2026
  • One of the suspects used a window punch tool to crack the booth window before kicking it in, police say.
    — Frederick Sutton Sinclair, CBS News, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of punch
Verb
  • These were people who would insist that their American passenger ride in the cab of a trade truck rather than stand in the open back with 20 passengers banging into each other and a couple of goats for hours.
    — Ethan Gologor, New York Daily News, 19 Aug. 2026
  • In the building across the street, an old woman came out onto her balcony in a nightgown, a toddler in tow, and began banging a pot.
    — Daniel Castro, New Yorker, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of bang

Browse Nearby Words

biers
biff
biffed
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Cite this Entry

“Biff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/biff. Accessed 26 Aug. 2026.

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