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
The Spencer Trail branches off; an old pack mule route hacked from the cliffs.
—
Roger Naylor, AZCentral.com, 29 Jan. 2026
These cliffs are prone to landslides, creating safety issues.
—Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Jan. 2026
Then there’s the ice that’s been frozen in its tracks while cascading down cliffs and gorges.
—Brian Higgins, Outside, 28 Jan. 2026
California marked a milestone this month with the return of an uninterrupted Highway 1 through the perilous, yet spectacular cliffs of Big Sur.
—Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 27 Jan. 2026
From the craggy cliffs and purple sand of Big Sur to the luxurious white sands of Carmel, the California coastline has something to offer virtually anyone looking for the perfect beach day.
—Alanna Bennett, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 Jan. 2026
This enabled it, in theory, to move near vertically for climbing walls or cliffs as tall as the vehicle itself.
—Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 26 Jan. 2026
Cradled by rugged cliffs and rolling surf, Baker Beach offers one of San Francisco’s most iconic vistas—where the Golden Gate Bridge rises from the mist, its vermilion towers glowing against the horizon.
—Lewis Nunn, Forbes.com, 22 Jan. 2026
Remove the economic cliffs that prohibit people from climbing the ladder of success without the risk of losing public resources.
—Len Fasano, Hartford Courant, 8 Jan. 2025
Roger Naylor, AZCentral.com, 29 Jan. 2026
These cliffs are prone to landslides, creating safety issues.
—Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Jan. 2026
Then there’s the ice that’s been frozen in its tracks while cascading down cliffs and gorges.
—Brian Higgins, Outside, 28 Jan. 2026
California marked a milestone this month with the return of an uninterrupted Highway 1 through the perilous, yet spectacular cliffs of Big Sur.
—Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 27 Jan. 2026
From the craggy cliffs and purple sand of Big Sur to the luxurious white sands of Carmel, the California coastline has something to offer virtually anyone looking for the perfect beach day.
—Alanna Bennett, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 Jan. 2026
This enabled it, in theory, to move near vertically for climbing walls or cliffs as tall as the vehicle itself.
—Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 26 Jan. 2026
Cradled by rugged cliffs and rolling surf, Baker Beach offers one of San Francisco’s most iconic vistas—where the Golden Gate Bridge rises from the mist, its vermilion towers glowing against the horizon.
—Lewis Nunn, Forbes.com, 22 Jan. 2026
Remove the economic cliffs that prohibit people from climbing the ladder of success without the risk of losing public resources.
—Len Fasano, Hartford Courant, 8 Jan. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cliffs
Noun
-
This park is all escarpments, rivers, and old forests.—
Daniel Scheffler,
Forbes.com,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
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And Edinburgh perfumery Jorum Studio’s scents, which include Phloem and Pony Boy, are witty homages to the country’s crags and concrete jungles.—
CNT Editors,
Condé Nast Traveler,
22 Jan. 2026
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Colorado Parks and Wildlife dedicated a new pedestrian bridge on Thursday in Eldorado Canyon State Park, where steep sandstone cliffs and precipitous crags have lured expert rock climbers from around the world since the 1970s.—
John Meyer,
Denver Post,
17 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The land was a former family vineyard and cherry tree orchard -- an elevated site draped along a bend of high ridges and exposed bluffs that fall toward the water.—
Erik Matuszewski,
Forbes.com,
28 Jan. 2026
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There are plenty of picnic spots on the bluffs to soak up the scenic surroundings and even a mixed fir and redwood forest within the property's bounds.—
Chelsee Lowe,
Travel + Leisure,
28 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cliffs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cliffs. Accessed 5 Feb. 2026.
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