BUFFS Synonyms: 109 Similar and Opposite Words

buffs 1 of 2

noun

plural of buff

as in lovers

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

buffs

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of buff

as in rubs

to make smooth by friction she learned to buff semiprecious stones in order to make her own jewelry

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in polishes

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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of buffs

Noun

The port city of Tarragona is one of the must-visit places for archaeology buffs, with ancient ruins dating from its time as the Roman colony of Tarraco. — Rebecca Ann Hughes, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026 History buffs, don’t miss the White River Museum on Park Avenue, which offers a quirky account of local history from inside a pair of the town’s original log buildings. — Jamie Siebrase, Denver Post, 26 June 2026 As Americans commemorate the nation’s semiquincentennial on July 4, history buffs have much to celebrate. — Barbara Spindel, Christian Science Monitor, 1 July 2026 History buffs can also spend an afternoon exploring Baan Chinpracha and the Thai Hua Museum, both of which offer a glimpse into the island's Chinese and Portuguese influences. — Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 4 July 2026 From New England to Virginia, history buffs and patriotic travelers can walk where American history unfolded in honor of the celebration of our nation's 250th anniversary this weekend. — Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 4 July 2026 Arkansas State Parks and outdoor events Arkansas State Parks will host a myriad of events to celebrate America 250 for birdwatchers, history buffs, hikers, kayakers and general outdoorspeople. — Jesse Cain, Arkansas Online, 29 June 2026 History buffs will note that the home was used to confine British General Richard Prescott and loyalist New Jersey Governor William Franklin, son of Benjamin Franklin, during the Revolutionary War. — James Alexander, Hartford Courant, 5 July 2026 History buffs can explore architecture from the 1920s at the Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, stroll the Deering Estate house museum, or study up on Miami’s urban and environmental design at the Coral Gables Museum. — Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 30 June 2026

Verb

History buffs flock to America’s oldest city for a glimpse into the past. — Lisa A. Beach, Southern Living, 10 May 2026 Combined with lactic acid, this treatment buffs out wrinkles, increases collagen, and regulates sebum. — Tamim Alnuweiri, InStyle, 24 June 2026 Go in with the glass cuticle pusher to gently soften and push back cuticles (which can help nails look longer), plus the glass polisher, which buffs the nail surface smooth for smoother, better, longer-lasting polish application. — Lily Wohlner, Allure, 5 Mar. 2026 Public tours of the White House have been a longstanding American tradition, offering families, students, and history buffs a rare chance to see inside one of the nation's most significant historic buildings. — Amanda Greenwood, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2025 Mint Cooling reinvigorates lips, Collagen Boosting reduces the look of fine lines, Vita Glazed moisturizes, and Lemon Sugar Scrub buffs away dead skin cells. — Catherine Garcia, TheWeek, 1 Apr. 2026 The five-part docuseries, directed by Brian Knappenberger with Tom Hanks as executive producer, offers novice history buffs an extensive look into the establishment of American democracy. — Kalia Richardson, USA Today, 24 June 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for buffs

Noun

Wine lovers should consider hitting some stops on the Great River Road Wine Trail, especially Danzinger Vineyards on the bluff in Alma.

— Katy Spratte Joyce, Travel + Leisure, 3 July 2026
The track went viral on TikTok earlier this year, with longtime lovers of the musician remembering the hit, while younger fans may have discovered it for the first time.

— Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026

Definition of lovers

Verb

The nurse rubs circles on her lower back, clucking at the struggle of turning the pregnant body to the side like a lopsided gourd.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 25 June 2026
Every texture is an independent agent with its own membrane in the mix; percussion rubs and scrapes against your attention, while mutating synth patches burble in the periphery.

— H.D. Angel, Pitchfork, 16 June 2026

Definition of rubs

Verb

Through processing that polishes the individual wool fibers, the technology allows wool to have more luster, a softer hand feel, drape and elastic recovery.

— Sarah Jones, Footwear News, 22 June 2026
Expect to see even tinier dots and minuscule French tips atop jelly polishes in summery shades like fuchsia and blood orange.

— Annie Blay-Tettey, Allure, 4 June 2026

Definition of polishes

Noun

As whole house fans and swamp coolers can suck additional pollutants inside, the department recommends using air purifiers or air conditioners as alternatives when possible.

— Corinne Purtill, Los Angeles Times, 4 July 2026
Some disappointed fans lingered near the barricades and boundaries police had set up and were enforcing.

— Meriam Bouarrouj, NBC news, 4 July 2026

Definition of fans

Verb

That a creditor files an application for a charging order may cause the payor to withhold payments from the debtor until the application is decided.

— Jay Adkisson, Forbes.com, 27 June 2026
When a citizen files a police report and shares it with Gabriel, the company hands the victim relevant footage with faces blurred.

— Harry Booth, Time, 26 June 2026

Definition of files

Verb

The transparent, cooling, jelly-like formula features niacinamide, a form of vitamin B that smooths uneven texture and fades hyperpigmentation.

— Sophie Wirt, InStyle, 1 July 2026
CeraVe’s Skin Renewing Retinol Serum smoothes and hydrates with a retinol formula that’s gentle on sensitive skin.

— Caley Sturgill, Southern Living, 26 June 2026

Definition of smooths

Noun

If your perennials and annuals get long and leggy with few flowers, or your shrubs put out long suckers that shoot straight up, your plants are reaching for more sun.

— Barbara Gillette, The Spruce, 29 June 2026
Removing excessive suckers can sometimes reduce overall yield, so pruning should be limited to removing diseased or damaged leaves, says Singh.

— Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 22 June 2026

Definition of suckers

Verb

Thorn cuts the pieces for his puzzle-style artworks, sands them, paints them, then glues them into a frame.

— Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 28 June 2026
Sawdust sprays as Matt Sams meticulously sands the edges of a balcony railing that will soon be affixed to the front of a house.

— Dallas Morning News, Dallas Morning News, 23 Feb. 2026

Definition of sands

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buffoons

buffs

bug

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“Buffs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/buffs. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of buffs

noun

verb

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