butte

noun

Definition of buttenext
as in mountain
a type of hill with a flat top and steep sides that is found in the southwestern U.S. The otherworldly sandstone buttes of Monument Valley, Arizona are well worth a visit.

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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 butte Today, visitors can spot wildlife like bison, bighorn sheep, prairie dogs, and black-footed ferrets among the sharply eroded buttes. — Scott Bay, Travel + Leisure, 2 July 2026 The unique red rock buttes often show up in movies, calendars and magazines. — Staff, USA Today, 8 June 2026 The 244,000-acre park features a unique landscape of eroded buttes, pinnacles and spires, and contains one of the world’s richest fossil beds. — Lauren Schuster, Charlotte Observer, 4 May 2026 Inactive volcanic buttes dot the city, providing good hill-climbing tests. — William Roberson, Forbes.com, 28 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for butte
Recent Examples of Synonyms for butte
  1. mountain
  2. cliff
  3. mesa
  4. highland
  5. foothill
  6. plateau
Noun
  • Skydance will have a mountain of debt, projected to be north of $80 billion, after assuming the debt burdens of previous M&A incurred by Paramount and WBD and raising new debt financing.
    — Todd Spangler, Variety, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Some parts of the mountains could get frost Wednesday morning, officials say.
    — Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of mountain
Noun
  • Pilots have compared landing on the short runway, with either side plunging straight down off the side of a vertical cliff, to landing on an aircraft carrier.
    — Fedor Zarkhin, Los Angeles Times, 3 Oct. 2026
  • This Victoria Falls masterpiece is, as its name suggests, modeled on the rich colors of one of the world’s most spectacular waterfalls, which sits on the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe where the Zambezi River plunges over a basalt cliff.
    — Paige Reddinger, Robb Report, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of cliff
Noun
  • Inspired by the region’s terrain of flat desert basins, mesas, and canyons, residents of New Mexico are drawn to this shade the most.
    — Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Los Alamos, not far from Santa Fe, sits at the foot of Pajarito Mountain in a land of canyons and mesas.
    — Daniel de Visé, USA Today, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of mesa
Noun
  • The orientation was the opposite in the old days, when all attention was directed to the highlands.
    — Peter Hessler, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2026
  • The houndstooth pattern, crafted with wool and cotton-blend, was wholly reminiscent of the Scottish highlands where the print originated, ideal for a day outdoors walking the grounds in early autumn.
    — Julia Teti, Footwear News, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of highland
Noun
  • The Yuba County Sheriff’s Office is investigating two suspicious deaths after remains were found a day apart in the foothill town of Dobbins and the community of Plumas Lake, south of Marysville, officials said.
    — Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 16 Sep. 2026
  • But in Southern California’s wealthy foothill enclaves, event promoters are regularly transforming these types of regal estates into weekend party houses filled with young people who are willing to pay to enter.
    — Jazmin Alvarado, Los Angeles Times, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of foothill
Noun
  • Trendalytics’ next retail trend report, where search volume will either hold, plateau or begin to decline 2.
    — Lauren Schuster, Miami Herald, 2 Oct. 2026
  • The predominant suites—all of which have generous outdoor space—are spread across four buildings whose Indonesian names translate to mountain, hill, plateau and valley.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of plateau

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butt
butte
butted
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Cite this Entry

“Butte.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/butte. Accessed 5 Oct. 2026.

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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about butte

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