1
as in lover
a person with a strong and habitual liking for something
he's such a film buff that he owns over 3,000 movies
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in nude
the state of having no clothes on one's body
protected by a fully enclosed backyard, the couple would frequently sunbathe in the buff
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in to rub
to make smooth by friction
she learned to buff semiprecious stones in order to make her own jewelry
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to polish
to make smooth or glossy usually by repeatedly applying surface pressure
the janitor buffed the lobby floor until it shone
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of buff
Guy Lodge, Variety, 21 Sep. 2025
But the glittering Jazz Age space is sure to attract history buffs and cocktail lovers alike, no matter the weather.
—Jess Fleming, Twin Cities, 19 Sep. 2025
Julie Harans, Bon Appetit Magazine, 22 Sep. 2025
Over a 10-month period, our editors—all with vastly different preferences for coverage, finish, and format—buffed and blended (and swept and stippled) their way through about 650 submissions.
—Sophia Panych, Allure, 16 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for buff
Noun
Kicking off its festival run at San Sebastian, the doc is primarily of interest to dance buffs and devotees of both performers, but may wind up courting a subset of the audience for such crossover theater-cinema events as the National Theater’s popular NT Live releases.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 21 Sep. 2025
But the glittering Jazz Age space is sure to attract history buffs and cocktail lovers alike, no matter the weather.
—Jess Fleming, Twin Cities, 19 Sep. 2025
Verb
Steel wool is a bit too effective and will buff away the seasoning.
—Julie Harans, Bon Appetit Magazine, 22 Sep. 2025
Over a 10-month period, our editors—all with vastly different preferences for coverage, finish, and format—buffed and blended (and swept and stippled) their way through about 650 submissions.
—Sophia Panych, Allure, 16 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for buff
Recent Examples of Synonyms for buff
Noun
-
More than 50 cats were submitted for The Star’s cutest cat contest, from tortoiseshells to Birman cats and everything in between — and your submissions have definitely stolen the hearts of the cat lovers in our newsroom.—
Eden Dinneen,
Kansas City Star,
20 Oct. 2025
-
Fried chicken lovers visiting a Popeyes drive-thru in Florida were unwittingly paying a prison inmate’s commissary fees, according to investigators.—
Mark Price,
Miami Herald,
20 Oct. 2025
Noun
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According to the Morgan, Renoir used the female nude as a way to explore the representation of form across media.—
Jane Levere,
CNN Money,
16 Oct. 2025
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And more and more teens are being victimized by peers using deepfake nudes.—
Rachel Hale,
USA Today,
16 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Vice presidents used to embrace their role as national leaders who could calm passions rather than partisans who rub salt in every wound.—
Steven Greenhut,
Oc Register,
19 Oct. 2025
-
After the second, pass-thief Jabari Mack made the downward-U gesture with his gloved hands to rub it in.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
18 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Featuring a faux wrap neckline and a deep V-neck design, the sweater is sophisticated and polished enough for date nights, after-work cocktails, parties, and more.—
Alicia Geigel,
Southern Living,
19 Oct. 2025
-
Accessories are the key to looking polished in transit, and the quickest way to elevate your ensemble is with a structured tote like the Lovevook Laptop Bag, made with durable, scratch-resistant faux leather with plenty of convenient storage compartments—including one designed for your computer.—
Lane Nieset,
Travel + Leisure,
18 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
After abruptly leaving the Chicago stop of her and Monica‘s The Boy Is Mine Tour, Brandy Norwood is explaining her exit and apologizing to fans.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
19 Oct. 2025
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Lorde and Charli ended the duet together, joyously dancing and swinging their admittedly very similar long, dark curls in a moment of intense catharsis for both the artists and their raucous fans.—
Rachel Scharf,
Billboard,
19 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Naked bike rides as a form of protest are not uncommon in major cities across the USA, and in Oregon, public nudity is considered a legal form of protest.—
Robert Abitbol,
USA Today,
18 Oct. 2025
-
Rudolph revealed that there was almost some real nudity on set.—
Michael Nied,
PEOPLE,
17 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Additional changes in the new beach include a stabilizing stone wall, dry prairie grasses to deter birds and sand with larger grain size.—
Maia Pandey,
jsonline.com,
19 Sep. 2025
-
Reiss’ script was a Black List find that either wasn’t reworked enough by committee or so sanded down in the studio churn that all personality was drained in the process.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
16 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The Bra-Ilelujah uses hosiery on the bar wing, because Blakely sought a nude, flat and smoothing look on the wearer’s back, Hanson said.—
Rosemary Feitelberg,
Footwear News,
16 Oct. 2025
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Spoon mixture into an ungreased 10-inch cast-iron skillet, and smooth into an even layer.—
Melinda Salchert,
Southern Living,
15 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Buff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/buff. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025.
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