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 reserve features high, broken cliffs and deep ravines on headlands overlooking the ocean.
—
Kurt Snibbe, Oc Register, 24 Apr. 2026
Why book Olive and citrus-topped mountains, cliffs folding into ruddy-brown valleys, white sands and the teal Aegean Sea; western Crete’s scenery is astonishing.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026
The plant grows low to the ground, holding dirt in place, and will even grow along seaside cliffs.
—Michelle Mastro, Martha Stewart, 23 Apr. 2026
Set between jungled cliffs and a stretch of shoreline overlooking Bahía de Banderas in Punta de Mita, this resort offers 82 ocean-view studios, casitas and suites, along with 30 two to five-bedroom casas and oceanfront residences, plus a seven-bedroom signature villa.
—Carole Dixon, HollywoodReporter, 21 Apr. 2026
Hotel accommodations were so saturated that travelers without lodging were seen sleeping in a park in the small western Cuban town of Viñales that draws thousands of tourists and rock climbers to its scenic limestone cliffs.
—ABC News, 18 Apr. 2026
Located to the west of Normandy, this understated roughly 25-mile stretch of shoreline runs from the oyster-famous town of Cancale to the dramatic cliffs of Cap Fréhel, encompassing the fortified city of Saint-Malo and quaint seaside villages like Saint-Lunaire—our base for the next several days.
—Maddy Odom, Travel + Leisure, 18 Apr. 2026
Sheer cliffs rise from sloping green hills dotted with evergreens.
—Julia Sayers Gokhale, Midwest Living, 17 Apr. 2026
Here, the sun cast stark, dramatic shadows across the moon’s steep cliffs, rugged ripples and seemingly bottomless craters.
—Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2026
Kurt Snibbe, Oc Register, 24 Apr. 2026
Why book Olive and citrus-topped mountains, cliffs folding into ruddy-brown valleys, white sands and the teal Aegean Sea; western Crete’s scenery is astonishing.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026
The plant grows low to the ground, holding dirt in place, and will even grow along seaside cliffs.
—Michelle Mastro, Martha Stewart, 23 Apr. 2026
Set between jungled cliffs and a stretch of shoreline overlooking Bahía de Banderas in Punta de Mita, this resort offers 82 ocean-view studios, casitas and suites, along with 30 two to five-bedroom casas and oceanfront residences, plus a seven-bedroom signature villa.
—Carole Dixon, HollywoodReporter, 21 Apr. 2026
Hotel accommodations were so saturated that travelers without lodging were seen sleeping in a park in the small western Cuban town of Viñales that draws thousands of tourists and rock climbers to its scenic limestone cliffs.
—ABC News, 18 Apr. 2026
Located to the west of Normandy, this understated roughly 25-mile stretch of shoreline runs from the oyster-famous town of Cancale to the dramatic cliffs of Cap Fréhel, encompassing the fortified city of Saint-Malo and quaint seaside villages like Saint-Lunaire—our base for the next several days.
—Maddy Odom, Travel + Leisure, 18 Apr. 2026
Sheer cliffs rise from sloping green hills dotted with evergreens.
—Julia Sayers Gokhale, Midwest Living, 17 Apr. 2026
Here, the sun cast stark, dramatic shadows across the moon’s steep cliffs, rugged ripples and seemingly bottomless craters.
—Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 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
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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
-
Characteristic of the late Bronze Age or Iron Age periods of European history, hillforts generally refer to fortified, elevated settlements that were surrounded by barriers—usually made of earth, stone or wooden palisades—that created an enclosure.—
News Desk,
Artforum,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Mammoth bluffs followed by last-minute retreats only deepened perceptions of inconsistency, further eroding deterrence.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
25 Apr. 2026
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But if the weather gods smile upon you, the Root River State Water Trail provides a gentle to moderate flow past bluffs, pastureland, and small towns.—
Robin Pfeifer,
Midwest Living,
23 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cliffs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cliffs. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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