escarpment

noun

es·​carp·​ment i-ˈskärp-mənt 

1

: a steep slope in front of a fortification

2

: a long cliff or steep slope separating two comparatively level or more gently sloping surfaces and resulting from erosion or faulting

Synonyms of escarpment

• cliff
• palisade
• crag
• bluff

Examples of escarpment in a Sentence

the castle sits atop an escarpment that for hundreds of years made it virtually invulnerable to attack

Recent Examples on the Web

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

As the sun dropped and the temperature fell, Scarabeo Roches Noires emerged on the horizon, a small cluster of white tents perched on a rocky escarpment. —Fergus Scholes, TheWeek, 30 Jan. 2026

Angama Mara, which opened in 2016 and sits on top of the Oloololo escarpment overlooking the Mara Triangle, comprises two camps. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Jan. 2026

At 5 o’clock the sun dropped behind Steamboat Mountain, a towering escarpment that overshadows the entire area. —William J. McRae, Outdoor Life, 26 Nov. 2025

Word History

Etymology

French escarpement, from escarper to scarp, from Middle French, from escarpe scarp, from Old Italian scarpa — more at scarp

First Known Use

circa 1802, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

escarpment

noun

es·​carp·​ment is-ˈkärp-mənt 

1

: a steep slope in front of a fort or defensive area

2

: a long cliff