1
as in lover
a person with a strong and habitual liking for something
he's such a film buff that he owns over 3,000 movies
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in nude
the state of having no clothes on one's body
protected by a fully enclosed backyard, the couple would frequently sunbathe in the buff
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1
as in to rub
to make smooth by friction
she learned to buff semiprecious stones in order to make her own jewelry
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to polish
to make smooth or glossy usually by repeatedly applying surface pressure
the janitor buffed the lobby floor until it shone
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of buff
Sam Stone, Bon Appetit Magazine, 23 Apr. 2025
History buffs will enjoy a walk through the one-street downtown, where many of the original buildings (most are on the National Register of Historic Places) remain.
—Jennifer Prince, Southern Living, 20 Apr. 2025
Kiana Murden, Vogue, 12 May 2025
Since everyone has the same amount of health, buffing that while reducing shield HP will likely prolong at least some fights.
—Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 30 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for buff
Noun
The idea for micro-cocktails isn’t brand new—cocktail history buffs can trace their origin to the Snaquiri, a petite version of a daiquiri developed by Dutch Kills’s bartenders in New York in the 2010s.
—Sam Stone, Bon Appetit Magazine, 23 Apr. 2025
History buffs will enjoy a walk through the one-street downtown, where many of the original buildings (most are on the National Register of Historic Places) remain.
—Jennifer Prince, Southern Living, 20 Apr. 2025
Verb
An innovative cream-to-powder formula, this offers excellent pigment, but finishes down into a super-fine texture that diffuses into skin—especially when buffed in with a domed, medium density brush like Chanel’s N°107.
—Kiana Murden, Vogue, 12 May 2025
Since everyone has the same amount of health, buffing that while reducing shield HP will likely prolong at least some fights.
—Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 30 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for buff
Recent Examples of Synonyms for buff
Noun
-
Here are five must-see spots for literature fiends in Istanbul: Pera Palace Hotel Pera Palace is most well-known for literature lovers as the hotel where Agatha Christie allegedly wrote Murder on the Orient Express.—
Kaitlyn McInnis,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2025
-
And that’s where many younger Millennials and Gen Z music lovers first fell in love with the artform.—
Scottie Andrew,
CNN Money,
25 May 2025
Noun
-
At one point, Leonardo looks up Justin Bieber’s nudes, which the filmmakers used without any permission or clearance, knowing the pop star will probably never see this film.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
27 May 2025
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Martone was targeted with a deepfake nude that was shared on social media and emailed to her employer, urging them to fire her.—
Kim Elsesser,
Forbes.com,
19 May 2025
Verb
-
Better yet—especially for those with a delicate face of glam—there’s no need to rub the touchless formula in once it’s applied.—
Jenny Berg,
Vogue,
23 May 2025
-
Keep the cables taut at all times, and protect the bark from rubbing by using rags or short sections of old garden hose.—
Neil Sperry,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
22 May 2025
Verb
-
Pryor was a savant at polishing his challenging circumstances and debilitating neuroses into crowd-pleasing material, and this is broadly how he’s remembered in comedy history.—
Vulture Staff,
Vulture,
23 May 2025
-
The company has also really polished its software over the years, offering lots of customization.—
Julian Chokkattu,
Wired News,
23 May 2025
Noun
-
After Christmas Day, Netflix will give fans a week to recover before dropping the finale.—
Pamela Avila,
USA Today,
2 June 2025
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Since this season’s finale, which sees Mark abandon his outie’s wife, Gemma, to run away with the anarchic Helly, Britt Lower, who plays the character, has observed fans’ impassioned response to that cliffhanger.—
Tim Grierson,
Los Angeles Times,
2 June 2025
Verb
-
The Middle East is no stranger to sand and dust storms.—
Sanam Mahoozi,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2025
-
Then it must be sanded smooth and weatherproofed before being decorated.—
Beth Lipoff,
Kansas City Star,
21 May 2025
Verb
-
Team personnel filled the gap and smoothed it over to create a flat surface.—
Jeff Gluck,
New York Times,
22 May 2025
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But Ventura alleged that Combs was not in the mood to smooth things over.—
Cheyenne Roundtree,
Rolling Stone,
22 May 2025
Noun
-
In Israeli parlance, the prime minister is a freier—a sucker.—
Yair Rosenberg,
The Atlantic,
22 May 2025
-
My father never ever thought of himself as a sucker or a loser.—
Letters to the Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
18 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Buff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/buff. Accessed 6 Jun. 2025.
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