as in thump
a hard strike with a part of the body or an instrument
he got a biff in the noggin as his reward for trying to intervene in the fight
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
as in to smack
to deliver a blow to (someone or something) usually in a strong vigorous manner
the elderly woman swung her purse and biffed the mugger upside the head
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of biff
Mike Meehall Wood, Forbes, 25 May 2021
Here are the best biffs: Between now and Saturday night, each of the 25 finalist robots will get one chance to run through the gauntlet.
—Eric Limer, Popular Mechanics, 5 June 2015
Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 9 Oct. 2025
Noun
Nobody loves the old school biff more than me.
—Mike Meehall Wood, Forbes, 25 May 2021
Here are the best biffs: Between now and Saturday night, each of the 25 finalist robots will get one chance to run through the gauntlet.
—Eric Limer, Popular Mechanics, 5 June 2015
Verb
The Dodgers have by no means biffed this series.
—Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 9 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for biff
Noun
-
The Yankees need Wells to provide at least some thump in a bottom third of the order that hasn’t been very good.—
Brendan Kuty,
New York Times,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Moments later, a bass thump sounded in the distance.—
Nabih Bulos,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The Met Gala lands smack in the middle of that window, on Monday, May 4 — its traditional first-Monday-in-May slot.—
Hanna Wickes,
Miami Herald,
29 Apr. 2026
-
The boy smacks him in the mouth and then immediately starts crying.—
Samantha Agate,
Charlotte Observer,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Likewise, the score by Tony Doogan leans too heavily on generic electronic thuds, the kind that segue into a commercial break cliffhanger and an ad for blood pressure medicine.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Apr. 2026
-
The Charlotte Hornets’ president of basketball operations summarized the team’s plight in the 2025-26 season, which ended with a thud in Friday night’s play-in tournament loss to the Orlando Magic, and looked forward to the next task.—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
And Silva hit a home run, her third, after attempting a bunt on the previous pitch.—
Dan Albano,
Oc Register,
25 Apr. 2026
-
The Seattle Seahawks have already hit three of their biggest needs in the 2026 NFL Draft, taking Notre Dame running back Jadarian Price on Thursday night in Round 1 and TCU safety Bud Clark and Arkansas cornerback Julian Neal in the second and third rounds on Friday.—
Michael-Shawn Dugar,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Arsenal’s title challenge is back on track, Liverpool have been dealt a potentially season-defining injury blow, and Fantasy Premier League managers now have just four Gameweeks left to make their mark.—
Abdul Rehman,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
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The loss of Kidal represents a significant blow to Russia’s credibility in Mali, where the military junta has relied on mercenaries to combat Islamic extremism.—
Wilson Mcmakin,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Draftniks slap grades on the quality of the picks based on their perceptions of where the player’s talent meets positional need.—
Tim Graham,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Marcus Smart grabbed the ball and fired a two-handed pass to James, who bobbled it and slapped it to Luke Kennard.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Orlando brothers Isaiah Brown and AJ Brown return after redshirting following transfers from Ohio University, while former top-40 recruits Alex Lloyd and CJ Ingram add scoring punch and athleticism to a crowded rotation.—
Edgar Thompson,
The Orlando Sentinel,
27 Apr. 2026
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The cage match turned into a group scrum when another of the Kings’ big uglies, 6-6 Samuel Helenius, threw a punch at Parker Kelly.—
Sean Keeler,
Denver Post,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
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But the loudness and frequency of cacerolazos—protests where people bang pots—across the island attest to the rage.—
Gisela Salim-Peyer,
The Atlantic,
23 Apr. 2026
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Jurors then heard sounds of banging and choking and Athena screaming and crying, the Star-Telegram reports.—
KC Baker,
PEOPLE,
22 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Biff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/biff. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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