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
  • But the knock on them has been the lack of thump in their lineup.
    — Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2026
  • The brutalist thump of drummer Moe Tucker renders the showmen in Led Zeppelin and the Who irrelevant.
    — Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of thump
Verb
  • O’Connell told the students a stalk of celery is responsible for the smacking sound.
    — Senior Television, Los Angeles Times, 10 Nov. 2026
  • In September 2022, NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) spacecraft smacked into a cosmic rock named Dimorphos at a speed of around 14,000 miles per hour.
    — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of smack
Noun
  • Fears are growing that another golden age for technology, key to California’s economy, could end with a Wall Street thud.
    — Jonathan Lansner, Oc Register, 11 Nov. 2026
  • The Cubs lineup was one of the best in the majors in ’26, but didn’t show up in the wild-card series sweep by the San Diego Padres, ending things with a resounding thud.
    — Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 10 Nov. 2026
Definition of thud
Verb
  • The 25-year-old former 19th-round draft pick hit 25 home runs and 29 home runs in 125 games between three levels.
    — Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune, 12 Nov. 2026
  • Netanyahu denied that Israel was responsible for worsening conditions for Palestinians in Gaza's tent camps, which have been hit by severe winter flooding.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 12 Nov. 2026
Definition of hit
Noun
  • Toney is one of the leaders on the team, so losing him before the biggest game of the regular season was a tough blow.
    — Adam Lichtenstein, Sun Sentinel, 8 Nov. 2026
  • While the announcement doesn’t guarantee that Eisenkot will be the next prime minister, Herzog’s decision is another blow to Netanyahu, who lost his parliamentary majority in the election.
    — Melanie Lidman, Los Angeles Times, 8 Nov. 2026
Definition of blow
Verb
  • Usman Nurmagomedov then slapped him across the face, and all hell broke loose.
    — Ryan Morik OutKick, FOXNews.com, 11 Nov. 2026
  • The loose straps on my backpack were snapping and slapping like whips.
    — Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 10 Nov. 2026
Definition of slap
Noun
  • The entire island took a serious one-two punch of a hurricane beating; residents managed without power for months, and without the livelihoods supported by the tourism industry for much longer.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Nov. 2026
  • Williams, who missed three games with a foot injury and hasn’t returned to the starting lineup since, is trusted to guard on the ball and gives the second unit a scoring punch with his hot-shooting start.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 10 Nov. 2026
Definition of punch
Verb
  • As the agents stood outside the emergency room entrance, a large crowd of protesters began to converge at the hospital, some banging pots and recording the interaction on their phones.
    — Lauren Pozen, CBS News, 8 Nov. 2026
  • Theorists have been banging our heads on the two-component Hubbard model for decades, yet there are still major open questions.
    — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 8 Nov. 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 13 Nov. 2026.

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