cliff

noun

ˈklif 

: a very steep, vertical, or overhanging face of rock, earth, or ice : precipice

cliffy

ˈkli-fē 

adjective

Synonyms of cliff

• escarpment
• palisade
• crag
• bluff

Examples of cliff in a Sentence

Standing at the edge of the cliff, we watched the waves crash on the shore far below.

rock climbers scaling steep cliffs

Recent Examples on the Web

The former youth pastor suspected of pushing his wife off a Utah cliff died by suicide in a very unusual way, said the sheriff who oversees Las Vegas’ jails. — Bay Area News Group, Mercury News, 16 July 2026

Once twilight fades, the cliffs and headlands nearby become excellent places to watch for bright Perseid meteors. — Jamie Carter, Space.com, 15 July 2026

All around, gleaming with an incandescence that seems cut out of the cold blue sky itself, sheer cliffs rise impossibly high, a canopy of skyscrapers reflecting sunlight among themselves, creating a labyrinth that partitions the sun’s rays. — Literary Hub, 15 July 2026

However, three Afghan witnesses backed up the story about Roberts-Smith kicking a man off a cliff. — Nick Tabor, Encyclopedia Britannica, 15 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English clif, from Old English; akin to Old High German klep cliff, Old Norse klif

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing cliff

• cliff dweller
• cliff-hanger
• cliff swallow

Rhymes for cliff

• biff
• diff
• glyph
• griff
• if
• riff
• schiff
• skiff
• sniff
• stiff
• tiff
• whiff

Kids Definition

cliff

noun

ˈklif 

: a high steep surface of rock, earth, or ice