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
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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
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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
Laura Dannen Redman, Robb Report, 26 Mar. 2026
This week, a fever dream for history buffs and fireplace lovers.
—Matthew Sedacca, Curbed, 16 Mar. 2026
Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 7 Mar. 2026
Go in with the glass cuticle pusher to gently soften and push back cuticles (which can help nails look longer), plus the glass polisher, which buffs the nail surface smooth for smoother, better, longer-lasting polish application.
—Lily Wohlner, Allure, 5 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for buff
Noun
History buffs will revel in the dozens UNESCO World Heritage Sites visited, while foodies can check out the new onboard Epicurean Enrichment Studio, created by executive chef Kathryn Kelly as a chance to connect to the local cultures through cuisine.
—Laura Dannen Redman, Robb Report, 26 Mar. 2026
This week, a fever dream for history buffs and fireplace lovers.
—Matthew Sedacca, Curbed, 16 Mar. 2026
Verb
Apply your cleaner onto the scratch and then take your cloth to buff it out by working in circles, following the grain.
—Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 7 Mar. 2026
Go in with the glass cuticle pusher to gently soften and push back cuticles (which can help nails look longer), plus the glass polisher, which buffs the nail surface smooth for smoother, better, longer-lasting polish application.
—Lily Wohlner, Allure, 5 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for buff
Recent Examples of Synonyms for buff
Noun
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That’s probably why class-crossed lovers make such fertile ground for fiction—look at Heathcliff and Cathy, or poor Scudder and Maurice.—
Cressida Leyshon,
New Yorker,
12 Apr. 2026
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Options for 2026 include food cruises that travel through Burgundy and Provence and a 15-day wine lovers cruise on the Rhine and Seine Rivers.—
Beth Luberecki,
USA Today,
11 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Also present this weekend was Joan Semmel—a painter focused on sexuality, a surprising take on nudes, and her own aging body—a friend of my mother’s from decades of summers spent in East Hampton’s Springs neighborhood.—
Vanessa Grigoriadis,
Vanity Fair,
10 Mar. 2026
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In ancient Mesopotamia 5,000 years ago, beautiful nudes depict both ideal women and goddesses.—
Anna Swartwood House,
The Conversation,
2 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Sara Aparacio, a resident cleaning expert at Homeaglow, equates scrubbing an appliance with an abrasive sponge to rubbing it with very fine sandpaper.—
Maria Sabella,
The Spruce,
11 Apr. 2026
-
Blot — don’t rub — and avoid over-wetting the mattress, which can lead to mold growth if moisture gets trapped inside.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Sacbee.com,
11 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The high-rise fit, chic cropped cut that hits above the ankle, and zip-front button closure read polished, especially in the darker wash (no whiskering or printing here).—
Malia Griggs,
Glamour,
8 Apr. 2026
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Their bestselling Regenerating Cleanser gently polishes away impurities and dullness to reveal a healthy-looking, radiant glow, clinically proven to make skin look brighter, smoother, more hydrated and pores look smaller.—
Tory Johnson,
ABC News,
7 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
But to think that suckers get an even break when insiders have information that assures them of winning is folly.—
William Mersey,
New York Daily News,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Invasive vines like Virginia creeper, English ivy, and buckthorn can strangle trees, for example, and some aggressive trees may spread via underground suckers and roots.—
Peg Aloi,
The Spruce,
5 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Instead of explicit nudity, the film rests on stars Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi to deliver the heady energy.—
Emily Maskell,
IndieWire,
3 Apr. 2026
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An easy comparison with the version available concurrently on PPOV showed the omission of Sidney Sweeney’s partial nudity in the steamy scenes that helped turn Paul Feig’s rebooting of the 1990s erotic thriller into one of the year’s megahits.—
Gustavo Turner,
HollywoodReporter,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Use a garden hose, leaf blower, or shop vac to get rid of sanding dust.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
10 Apr. 2026
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The rigid jean is hand-sanded to emphasize its fullness.—
Angela Velasquez,
Footwear News,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
This strategy allows investors to smooth the impact of interest rate fluctuations over time.—
Michelle Fox,
CNBC,
13 Apr. 2026
-
Process until smooth or close to smooth.—
Cathy Thomas,
Oc Register,
13 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Buff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/buff. Accessed 15 Apr. 2026.
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