Definition of escarpmentnext
as in cliff
a steep wall of rock, earth, or ice the castle sits atop an escarpment that for hundreds of years made it virtually invulnerable to attack

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 escarpment As the sun dropped and the temperature fell, Scarabeo Roches Noires emerged on the horizon, a small cluster of white tents perched on a rocky escarpment. Fergus Scholes, TheWeek, 30 Jan. 2026 Outside, stone cladding and turf roofs help the buildings blend into the escarpment. Nicholas Derenzo, AFAR Media, 29 Jan. 2026 At 5 o’clock the sun dropped behind Steamboat Mountain, a towering escarpment that overshadows the entire area. William J. McRae, Outdoor Life, 26 Nov. 2025 Tries a first flight from the escarpment, a learner breeze across the valley, and realises – wow! Literary Hub, 3 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for escarpment
Recent Examples of Synonyms for escarpment
Noun
  • Avalanche deaths can also occur through blunt force trauma as the snow slides slam into people and sweep them into trees or boulders, or in some cases over cliff edges.
    Andrew Graham, Sacbee.com, 8 Aug. 2026
  • However, the population of little red dots drops off a cliff at redshifts equating to less than 12 billion years ago.
    Keith Cooper, Space.com, 7 Aug. 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
  • Here, outdoor enthusiasts can experience the raging Potomac River and the rocky crags of Great Falls.
    Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 26 June 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
  • For those who missed it, Kanter and White called the WNBA's bluff by both declaring their intention to enter next year's draft within hours of each other Friday evening.
    Zach Dean OutKick, FOXNews.com, 8 Aug. 2026
  • The unknown shooter had taken position on a bluff about 2 miles away on state land, just outside their jurisdiction.
    Noah Daly August 6, Idaho Statesman, 6 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Escarpment.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/escarpment. Accessed 15 Aug. 2026.

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