as in cliffs
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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Recent Examples of buttes
Hike through the poppies on a short series of moderate trails that run just a few miles in length, affording views of the poppy fields and surrounding buttes.
—
Cu Fleshman, Travel + Leisure, 8 Feb. 2026
Within minutes, guests can be standing beneath the stone arches of Arches National Park, 4 miles away, or surveying mesas and buttes in Canyonlands National Park, 30 miles southwest, where the Colorado and Green rivers have carved the landscape for centuries.
—Cari Shane, USA Today, 15 Oct. 2025
Enchantment's accommodations include casitas and suites, with designs and decor inspired by the Southwest desert landscape and views of Sedona's red rock buttes.
—Michael Salerno, AZCentral.com, 9 Oct. 2025
Cu Fleshman, Travel + Leisure, 8 Feb. 2026
Within minutes, guests can be standing beneath the stone arches of Arches National Park, 4 miles away, or surveying mesas and buttes in Canyonlands National Park, 30 miles southwest, where the Colorado and Green rivers have carved the landscape for centuries.
—Cari Shane, USA Today, 15 Oct. 2025
Enchantment's accommodations include casitas and suites, with designs and decor inspired by the Southwest desert landscape and views of Sedona's red rock buttes.
—Michael Salerno, AZCentral.com, 9 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for buttes
Noun
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The avalanche ran over a steep band of cliffs that would have resulted in a devastating outcome had the subject been carried another few feet further.—
Jennifer McRae,
CBS News,
27 Feb. 2026
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The shortest runways in the world make landing the journey’s most dramatic moment, where cliffs, gradients, tides and mountains compress aviation into a test of pure precision.—
Karina Acharya,
Condé Nast Traveler,
26 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Lunar mountains in the south will come into view, swathed in color.—
Jamie Carter,
Space.com,
2 Mar. 2026
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Wet weather is forecast for Colorado early this week, from snow in the mountains to rain across the Denver area, according to the National Weather Service.—
Lauren Penington,
Denver Post,
2 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Think again, as the California Zephyr, the longest route in America crosses through seven states, carving up Colorado’s canyons, then passing into Utah where the sun ignites mesas into flaming towers of rock.—
Arati Menon,
Condé Nast Traveler,
28 Jan. 2026
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Beyond cost, Purple Line development will face a high degree of difficulty because of the topography of mesas and valleys.—
Michael Smolens,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
21 Dec. 2025
Noun
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Boyes believes that Henry has living descendants roaming the Angolan highlands and is determined to confirm a genetic link.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
27 Feb. 2026
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Got to walk around the highlands in a red cloak.—
Lisa Gutierrez,
Kansas City Star,
27 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Gorgeous peaks dot the landscape, each one with a seemingly endless number of ski runs.—
Brent Rose,
Outside,
28 Feb. 2026
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Kicking Horse Ski Resort Kicking Horse Ski Resort, an hour west of Lake Louise, is known for its steep terrain, gigantic chutes, jagged Rocky Mountain peaks, and fluffy dry snow.—
Jonny Bierman,
Travel + Leisure,
27 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Buttes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/buttes. Accessed 4 Mar. 2026.
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