Definition of cliffnext
as in escarpment
a steep wall of rock, earth, or ice the cliff rises 200 feet from the island's south shore

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 cliff The prospect of a wetter, stormier winter has Southern California on edge —punishing waves can cause significant coastal flooding and erosion, leading to landslides and cliff collapse. — The Week Us, TheWeek, 13 Oct. 2026 White Beach, in front of a backdrop of chalky cliffs, is accessible exclusively by boat. — Rick Steves, Washington Post, 11 Oct. 2026 The city sits amid the rugged Rif Mountains, where cliffs and steep hills descend toward beaches and intensely blue Mediterranean water. — Jamie Carter, Space.com, 10 Oct. 2026 In some areas, the river is flanked on both sides by steep limestone cliffs, and up and down the region, people have to trek through inhospitable desert terrain to get to the nearest paved road or pass through Border Patrol checkpoints. — ABC News, 9 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for cliff
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cliff
Noun
  • The researchers say the ancient escarpment may have influenced river systems, sediment transport and the flooding of continental interiors long before the rapid diversification of complex life during the Cambrian explosion.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Built around a towering sandstone escarpment that rises through the centre of the property, surrounded by a deliciously cold pool, the architecture was conceived in careful negotiation with the landscape.
    — Lara Johnson-Wheeler, Vogue, 3 July 2026
Noun
  • As an earthwork with a wooden palisade, however, much less of Antonius’s wall has survived the ensuing millennia.
    — Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 21 Sep. 2026
  • The optical illusion reminded early settlers of the blockades of wooden stakes, or palisades, built around forts to ward off threats.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 13 May 2026
Noun
  • Crater Lake National Park, Oregon Prepare to be awestruck during your first view of Crater Lake, a massive cobalt waterway flanked by a dome of steep crag.
    — Stephanie Vermillion, Travel + Leisure, 9 Aug. 2026
  • But, typical of Hockney portraiture, the resulting drawings magnificently captured every crag in Auden’s impossibly craggy face.
    — Mark Rozzo, Vanity Fair, 12 June 2026
Noun
  • Natural limestone bluffs will also be visible and incorporated into the design, new renderings show, similar to the bluff inside the nearby Westin hotel.
    — Chris Higgins, Kansas City Star, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The Missouri River Runner runs daily and is a nearly 6-hour, one-way ride, tracing the Missouri river past bluffs, forests, and vineyards blazing red and gold each fall.
    — Lauren Dana Ellman, Midwest Living, 15 Oct. 2026

Cite this Entry

“Cliff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cliff. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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