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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in to rub
to make smooth by friction
she learned to buff semiprecious stones in order to make her own jewelry
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of buff
ArsTechnica, 1 May 2026
Car buffs from around the county came to the latest Ramona American Graffiti Cruise Car Show on April 18, with 136 cars on display.
—Julie Gallant, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 May 2026
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Sacbee.com, 27 Apr. 2026
Combined with lactic acid, this treatment buffs out wrinkles, increases collagen, and regulates sebum.
—Tamim Alnuweiri, InStyle, 13 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for buff
Noun
Collectively, this effort to spit-shine Windows and buff its reputation could just make Windows 10 upgraders happier and cut down on some Linux curiosity among enthusiasts.
—ArsTechnica, 1 May 2026
Car buffs from around the county came to the latest Ramona American Graffiti Cruise Car Show on April 18, with 136 cars on display.
—Julie Gallant, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 May 2026
Verb
Keep one slightly damp microfiber cloth for cleaning and one dry microfiber cloth for buffing.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Sacbee.com, 27 Apr. 2026
Combined with lactic acid, this treatment buffs out wrinkles, increases collagen, and regulates sebum.
—Tamim Alnuweiri, InStyle, 13 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for buff
Recent Examples of Synonyms for buff
Noun
-
This smokey, briney, california botanical martini is the dream cocktail for any olive lover.—
Aly Walansky,
Forbes.com,
16 May 2026
-
From limited-time giveaways to national brand collaborations, pickle lovers are getting plenty to celebrate this year.—
Anthony Thompson,
USA Today,
16 May 2026
Noun
-
At the Pinault Collection, where works by artists such as Michael Armitage have been prominently featured, the nude is stripped of its historical assurances.—
Andrew S. Jacobson,
Baltimore Sun,
13 May 2026
-
Eleven shades span nudes, berries, pinks, and reds, so there is a version of this pencil for every mood and every complexion.—
Jailynn Taylor,
Allure,
10 May 2026
Verb
-
Use this solution to blot the top layer of the mattress, trying to moisten and gently rub versus soak the mattress.—
Ashlyn Needham,
Southern Living,
16 May 2026
-
The plastic bristles coax out loose hair as your cat rubs against it.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
Plenty of people already use AI to polish text in emails or other documents before sending them, and this is essentially the same thing for voice input.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
12 May 2026
-
Something about a summer ceremony invites fun into a potentially formal dress code—your attire should be polished, yes, but can lean playful and bright.—
Sarah Zendejas,
Vogue,
10 May 2026
Noun
-
Democratic states have typically done this, but now that’s a sucker’s game.—
Steven Greenhut,
Oc Register,
15 May 2026
-
That makes students who play by the rules feel like suckers.—
Rose Horowitch,
The Atlantic,
12 May 2026
Noun
-
In other corners, opinions ran hot about rampant nudity in the Austrian Pavilion.—
Sebastian Smee,
The Atlantic,
16 May 2026
-
To fully embody her OnlyFans persona, an earthside alien named The Hungry Ghost, who offers mild nudity and harsh criticism of her willing subscribers’ genitalia.—
Alli Rosenbloom,
CNN Money,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
Crucially, the entire supply chain traces back to quartz — essentially sand — with no dependency on China.—
Gene Berdichevsky,
Fortune,
14 May 2026
-
George, the birthday boy beside her, stuck to his own slick style, wearing a black polo top, off-white pants with a beige belt, and sand suede loafers.—
Anna Cafolla,
Vogue,
9 May 2026
Verb
-
The award-winning Star Flower Niacinamide serum contains thousands of sparkling micro pearls, each packed with fresh, nutrient-rich actives for concentrated calming benefits and deep hydration to smooth the look of pores and fine lines.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
19 May 2026
-
He has not been smoothed by the sandpaper of Washington just yet.—
Rob Crilly,
The Washington Examiner,
19 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Buff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/buff. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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