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

Relevance

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
  • Ramirez was Miami’s primary catcher as a rookie last season and can add some thump to Miami’s lineup, but his work defensively remains underwhelming.
    — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Adding more thump around those three is Dana Brown’s foremost goal before Monday’s trade deadline.
    — Chandler Rome, New York Times, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of thump
Verb
  • The teriyaki aroma from the wings was almost strong enough to taste, and the flavor smacks you in the face from the first bite.
    — Heidi Finley, Charlotte Observer, 31 July 2026
  • Catcher Daniel Susac followed up Wednesday’s two-home-run game by smacking a two-run shot, and the Giants bullpen didn’t break down while protecting a 4-1 victory.
    — Andrew Baggarly, New York Times, 31 July 2026
Definition of smack
Noun
  • The White House’s latest dustup with Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) landed with a thud Thursday among his GOP colleagues.
    — Ramsey Touchberry, The Washington Examiner, 23 July 2026
  • Minus the dull thud of the boats gently colliding with the wooden posts they’re tied to, the normally busy thoroughfare is quiet.
    — Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 19 July 2026
Definition of thud
Verb
  • Musk pointed to each of the three business lines as part of the pillars of the company that will fuel what would have to be 10x growth in three or four years to hit his $1 trillion revenue projection.
    — Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 5 Aug. 2026
  • Additionally, Alvarez’s chances to hit a home run will get a pick-me-up from playing at home.
    — Josh Shepardson, Forbes.com, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of hit
Noun
  • After Torres broke a tie with a two-run shot in the fifth, Clark delivered his big blow the following inning.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 2 Aug. 2026
  • That was a massive blow, and losing speedy rookie wide receiver Chris Brazzell to another knee injury Wednesday didn’t help, either.
    — Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of blow
Verb
  • This one is a badass soldier/leader, who can’t stop slapping Stuart, Kripke and Bert.
    — Michael Schneider, Variety, 31 July 2026
  • The Congolese drum, a traditional instrument of the Luba people, makes a sound akin to the hand slapping skin.
    — Jonathon Keats, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
Definition of slap
Noun
  • There are also plenty of games and activities for sale in the hotel store, including watercolor kits, colorful punch balloons, activity books, knitting kits, pick-up sticks, puzzles, toys, and more.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 July 2026
  • Citrus Although a wonderful addition to any dish that needs a punch of acid, oranges, limes, lemons, grapefruits and other citruses are detrimental to cats' health.
    — Pat Mueller, USA Today, 28 July 2026
Definition of punch
Verb
  • The game actually drew a decent spring crowd of 10,000-12,000, partially because Chesney had worked so hard at banging the drum.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 26 July 2026
  • According to the woman’s account, Leverett was banging his head against the walls and windows the day of the shooting.
    — Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 July 2026
Definition of bang

Browse Nearby Words

biers
biff
biffed
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Biff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/biff. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

How long is a jiffy?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
asap street sign
Figure Out These Acronyms ASAP You don't have to be a NASA engineer to get these...
See All