as in swipe
a hard strike with a part of the body or an instrument
the mama cat would give her kittens a cuff with a paw whenever they played too rough
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
as in bracelet
usually cuffs plural
something that physically prevents free movement
the policeman snapped the cuffs on and led the prisoner away to the car
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in to sock
Related Words
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 cuff
Julia Prodis Sulek, Mercury News, 20 Mar. 2026
Paul, whose then-5-year-old daughter from a different relationship was present, was the one who ended up in cuffs.
—Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 20 Mar. 2026
Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 24 Feb. 2026
Go for a cropped style or cuff them so your hems doesn’t get soggy.
—Kelsey Glennon, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cuff
Noun
But when the prosecutor in the suspect’s murder trial showed her a close-up photograph of herself that night a year ago, her hands covered in his blood seeping up the cuffs of her pink sweatshirt, her emotions poured out.
—Julia Prodis Sulek, Mercury News, 20 Mar. 2026
Paul, whose then-5-year-old daughter from a different relationship was present, was the one who ended up in cuffs.
—Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 20 Mar. 2026
Verb
That all changed when an argument over getting his money back from a North Miami Beach strip club in 2024 led officers to slam him to the ground, cuff him and later, hog-tie him in a holding cell at the North Miami Beach Police Department.
—Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 24 Feb. 2026
Go for a cropped style or cuff them so your hems doesn’t get soggy.
—Kelsey Glennon, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cuff
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cuff
Verb
-
Labin details the elaborate process of elimination that determines which socks to bring to the festival each year.—
Scott Neuman,
NPR,
26 Mar. 2026
-
The makeup department added scars to Shaynak’s knees and legs to reflect his character’s backstory, but the compression socks Shaynak wore were his own.—
Marah Eakin,
Vulture,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
That means each project begins with every nut, bolt, washer, and grommet being stripped off, labelled, photographed, bagged, and boxed.—
Simon de Burton,
Robb Report,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Workmen dug up graves and boxed up bones for reburial.—
Sandra Dallas,
Denver Post,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Airlines across the region, like Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific are slapping hefty fuel surcharges on flights; Vietnam and the Philippines are even weighing whether to ground planes.—
Nicholas Gordon,
Fortune,
29 Mar. 2026
-
This month, the influential environmental group Conservation Colorado filed ballot measures with the state elections office that would slap stricter penalties on the energy industry for the pollution and contamination that result from its operations.—
John Aguilar,
Denver Post,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Western-style chefs' knives have a wider 20º angle for chopping, while most Japanese-style knives have a less aggressive 15º angle that’s adept at slicing.—
Jesse Raub,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Shaded by the forest canopy, locals chop firewood, bag recyclables or tinker with bicycles and electric scooters.—
Grant Stringer,
Mercury News,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Sophomore Sadie Wyse belted two home runs and drove in five runs to lead La Habra’s softball team past host Canyon 11-9 in the Crestview League on Thursday.—
Dan Albano,
Oc Register,
27 Mar. 2026
-
And in 1929 Chanel designed costumes for Apollon Musagète dancers, whose tunics were belted with Charvet ties.—
Marisa Meltzer,
Vanity Fair,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The Rockets are a team that lost its starting point guard (Fred VanVleet) at the start of the year while the Knicks brought back and built upon the exact same core that punched the franchise’s first ticket to the conference finals in the last quarter-century.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Manning allegedly punched and kicked Hartman in the face and torso, scratched her, choked her and grabbed her by the hair and slammed her against the floor and wall.—
Christina Dugan Ramirez,
FOXNews.com,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
On Wednesday, the Braves had been in an 0-for-14 slump with runners in scoring position until Baldwin smacked a two-out single to left with the bases loaded in the second.—
Chad Bishop,
AJC.com,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Other incidents over the years have seen fans grab at Nikki Bella or actually smacking Alex Bliss on the backside as Nia Jax was carrying her over her shoulder from a previous segment.—
Matthew Couden,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Remember, as little as 6 inches of moving water can knock you off your feet.—
KANSAS CITY STAR WEATHER BOT,
Kansas City Star,
1 Apr. 2026
-
About 2 minutes and 40 seconds into the fight, Grasso drilled Barber in the head with a left hook, knocking her out.—
Kyle Newman,
Denver Post,
31 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cuff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cuff. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
