as in escarpments
a steep wall of rock, earth, or ice
the cliff rises 200 feet from the island's south shore
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Recent Examples of cliffs
Pebble beach, stone cliffs and open sea views shape the setting, while the villa’s southwest orientation draws sunlight through the day and holds the Adriatic in sight until sunset.
—
Spencer Elliott, Forbes.com, 6 June 2026
Popular spots like Angels Landing and The Narrows offer unforgettable hiking, especially at sunset when the cliffs glow orange in the light of the setting sun.
—Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 5 June 2026
Driven by looming patent cliffs, newly buoyant public markets, and Big Pharma’s race to beef up their pipelines, dealmaking so far in 2026 amounted to $106 billion over 201 deals, according to PitchBook data.
—Elsa Ohlen, CNBC, 4 June 2026
At Palisades State Park, striking red-pink Sioux quartzite cliffs jut up to 50 feet above Split Rock Creek, their jagged faces almost glowing against a backdrop of bucolic farmland.
—Taryn Shorr-McKee, Midwest Living, 4 June 2026
The trail leads to dreamy coves, dramatic cliffs, ancient archaeological sites and a lighthouse at the tip, with a sandstone ridge running down the core of the peninsula like a central spine.
—Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 4 June 2026
The route leads walkers to dreamy coves, dramatic cliffs, ancient archaeological sites and a lighthouse at the tip of the peninsula.
—Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 4 June 2026
The lush, green fairways are tucked into the side of soaring stone cliffs and green mountain peaks.
—Moira McCarthy, Boston Herald, 4 June 2026
In late April, the board approved plans to install natural-looking wooden posts connected by metal chains between the sidewalk and the bluffs to encourage pedestrians to stay off the cliffs and use beach access stairs.
—Ashley MacKin Solomon, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 May 2026
Spencer Elliott, Forbes.com, 6 June 2026
Popular spots like Angels Landing and The Narrows offer unforgettable hiking, especially at sunset when the cliffs glow orange in the light of the setting sun.
—Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 5 June 2026
Driven by looming patent cliffs, newly buoyant public markets, and Big Pharma’s race to beef up their pipelines, dealmaking so far in 2026 amounted to $106 billion over 201 deals, according to PitchBook data.
—Elsa Ohlen, CNBC, 4 June 2026
At Palisades State Park, striking red-pink Sioux quartzite cliffs jut up to 50 feet above Split Rock Creek, their jagged faces almost glowing against a backdrop of bucolic farmland.
—Taryn Shorr-McKee, Midwest Living, 4 June 2026
The trail leads to dreamy coves, dramatic cliffs, ancient archaeological sites and a lighthouse at the tip, with a sandstone ridge running down the core of the peninsula like a central spine.
—Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 4 June 2026
The route leads walkers to dreamy coves, dramatic cliffs, ancient archaeological sites and a lighthouse at the tip of the peninsula.
—Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 4 June 2026
The lush, green fairways are tucked into the side of soaring stone cliffs and green mountain peaks.
—Moira McCarthy, Boston Herald, 4 June 2026
In late April, the board approved plans to install natural-looking wooden posts connected by metal chains between the sidewalk and the bluffs to encourage pedestrians to stay off the cliffs and use beach access stairs.
—Ashley MacKin Solomon, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cliffs
Noun
-
Just as the sun prepared to sink beyond the escarpments, its rays struck every piece of the fractured glass resting on top of the window frames, alighting all of them at once, as if they were shot with electricity.—
New York Times,
New York Times,
16 Mar. 2026
-
This park is all escarpments, rivers, and old forests.—
Daniel Scheffler,
Forbes.com,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
That's why there are so few of us clinging to the crags of Mount Everest or decamping to Antarctica.—
Ari Daniel,
NPR,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Coastal cliffs and crags are punctuated by black-sand beaches, and rich rain forests hide a towering volcanic cone.—
Carley Rojas Avila,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
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
-
In 2014, the regional nonprofit group SOS Sahel came to Barkadroussou and taught villagers to stabilize the dunes by building palisades of palm fronds.—
Julie Bourdin,
NPR,
11 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
In late April, the board approved plans to install natural-looking wooden posts connected by metal chains between the sidewalk and the bluffs to encourage pedestrians to stay off the cliffs and use beach access stairs.—
Ashley Mackin Solomon,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
28 May 2026
-
Pilots can cut down the left or right canyons, go up over the rock bluffs or down into a Krayt dragon tunnel.—
Brady MacDonald,
Oc Register,
26 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cliffs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cliffs. Accessed 7 Jun. 2026.
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