Synonyms of buff

buff 1 of 2

noun

ˈbəf 

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

• lover
• sucker
• fan
• enthusiast
• fanatic
• maniac
• freak
• bug
• addict
• junkie
• admirer
• devotee
• fiend
• hound
• aficionado
• collector
• nut
• supporter
• fool
• proponent
• maven
• fancier
• friend
• expert
• authority
• head
• habitué
• connoisseur
• dilettante
• amateur
• champion
• exponent
• patron
• groupie
• advocate
• promoter
• convert
• zealot
• adherent
• booster
• follower
• disciple
• evangelist
• partisan
• apostle
• backer
• cultist
• votary
• hanger-on
• faddist
• rooter
• well-wisher

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• nonfan
• detractor
• critic
• carper
• belittler
• nonadmirer

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

• nude
• nudity
• raw
• nakedness
• altogether
• birthday suit
• bottomlessness
• bareness
• naturism
• nudism
• toplessness

buff

2 of 2

verb

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

• rub
• polish
• sand
• file
• sharpen
• grind
• hone
• scrape
• plane
• smooth
• gloss
• shine
• scour
• sandblast
• rasp
• burnish
• whet
• edge
• dress
• strop
• regrind

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• rough (up)
• roughen
• scuff
• coarsen

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• polish
• rub
• smooth
• coat
• scrub
• shine
• gloss
• scrape
• burnish
• grind
• sand
• furbish
• dress
• finish
• slick
• sleek
• bob
• smoothen
• varnish
• glaze
• face
• file
• bone
• brighten
• japan
• lacquer
• scour
• sandblast
• sandpaper
• veneer
• lap
• rasp

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• roughen
• rough (up)
• ruffle
• scuff (up)

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of buff

Noun

Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum, Honolulu Aviation enthusiasts and history buffs alike should visit the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum, located on Ford Island, an active military base on Oahu (visitors are shuttled from the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center). — Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 16 Sep. 2026

There’s a citizens stamp advisory committee that’s selected by the postmaster general, and it’s made up of historians and scholars and history buffs. — Sean Krofssik, Hartford Courant, 11 Sep. 2026

Verb

Rapinchuk adds that a Magic Eraser is a useful cleaning tool for buffing out scuffs and marks. — Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 24 Aug. 2026

Start by pushing back your cuticles, lightly buffing your nails, and filing the tips for a nice and tidy canvas. — Kara Jillian Brown, InStyle, 8 Aug. 2026

Phrases Containing buff

• in the buff