as in cliffs
a steep wall of rock, earth, or ice
the castle sits atop an escarpment that for hundreds of years made it virtually invulnerable to attack
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Recent Examples of escarpments
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, 16 Mar. 2026
This park is all escarpments, rivers, and old forests.
—Daniel Scheffler, Forbes.com, 12 Sep. 2025
The national park promises epic escarpments, striking rock formations, and breathtaking bush walks less than an hour west of Sydney by car.
—Matt Ortile, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Oct. 2024
New York Times, 16 Mar. 2026
This park is all escarpments, rivers, and old forests.
—Daniel Scheffler, Forbes.com, 12 Sep. 2025
The national park promises epic escarpments, striking rock formations, and breathtaking bush walks less than an hour west of Sydney by car.
—Matt Ortile, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Oct. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for escarpments
Noun
-
For most of the year, the animals roam the island’s northern pastures, hills and cliffs, but in the days before Christmas, they’re rounded up and brought to the shearing pens.—
NPR,
NPR,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Visit stretches of sand like Cape Drastis to view the island's dramatic cliffs that disappear into turquoise waters; head to Rovinia Beach for its secluded charm and white pebble shores; and stop at Porto Timoni for a truly breathtaking view.—
Stacey Leasca,
Travel + Leisure,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Dan shone his flashlight in the crags of a rock wall, and the antennae of hundreds of spiny lobsters waved in its beam.—
Betsy Andrews,
Condé Nast Traveler,
10 Mar. 2026
-
Her travels are usually inspired by mountain bike trails, classic crags, and whatever is happening in the sky.—
Maya Silver,
Outside,
25 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
In an ideal world the palisades would have their own mayor and police department.—
Jackie Strause,
HollywoodReporter,
15 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Escarpments.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/escarpments. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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