1
: a blow especially with the hand
2
: something that strikes with telling force
buffeted; buffeting; buffets
1
: to strike sharply especially with the hand : cuff
2
: to strike repeatedly : batter
the waves buffeted the shore
3
: to drive, force, move, or attack by or as if by repeated blows
schools being buffeted by budget cuts
: to make one's way especially under difficult conditions
plural buffets
1
furniture
: sideboard sense 1
2
a
: a counter for refreshments
went back to the buffet for a second helping
b
chiefly British
: a restaurant operated as a public convenience (as in a railway station)
c
: a meal set out on a buffet or table for ready access and informal service
a restaurant that offers a breakfast buffet
3
: an assortment of options or offerings : variety
Once you're up there among the clouds, you'll have a buffet of skiing options.—
Brad Wetzler
Brad Wetzler
: served informally especially as a buffet (see buffet entry 3 sense 2c)
a buffet meal
buffet luncheons
Synonyms
Noun (1)
- bang
- bash
- bat
- beat
- belt
- biff
- blow
- bop
- box
- bust
- chop
- clap
- clip
- clout
- crack
- cuff
- dab
- douse [British]
- fillip
- hack
- haymaker
- hit
- hook
- knock
- larrup [dialect]
- lash
- lick
- pelt
- pick
- plump
- poke
- pound
- punch
- rap
- slam
- slap
- slug
- smack
- smash
- sock
- spank
- stinger
- stripe
- stroke
- swat
- swipe
- switch
- thud
- thump
- thwack
- wallop
- welt
- whack
- wham
- whop
- whap
Verb
- bash
- baste
- bat
- batter
- beat
- belabor
- belt
- birch
- bludgeon
- bung up
- club
- curry
- do
- drub
- fib [British]
- flog
- hammer
- hide
- lace
- lambaste
- lambast
- lash
- lather
- lick
- maul
- mess (up)
- paddle
- pelt
- pommel
- pound
- pummel
- punch out
- rough (up)
- slate
- slog
- switch
- tan
- thrash
- thresh
- thump
- tromp
- wallop
- whale
- whip
- whop
- whap
- whup
- work over
Noun (2)
Examples of buffet in a Sentence
Noun (1)
delivered a powerful buffet to the side of the prisoner's head
Verb
The strong winds buffeted the ship.
fierce winds buffeted the small sailboat
Noun (2)
a buffet completed the kitchen set
Recent Examples on the WebLaurie Ochoa, Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2024
Desert Palms Hotel & Suites Anaheim Resort is located about two blocks from the Disneyland Resort and includes a hot breakfast buffet, a pool, room service, two restaurants, a snack shop, and a lobby lounge.
—Patricia Doherty, Travel + Leisure, 31 May 2024
Laurence Darmiento, Los Angeles Times, 28 May 2024
In July 2023, seven people were injured on a Hawaiian Airlines flight to Sydney, Australia, when the plane was buffeted by severe turbulence, and 36 people were injured on a Hawaiian Airlines flight from Arizona to Honolulu in December 2022, with 20 people taken to emergency rooms.
—Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 21 May 2024
Julian Kheel, CNN Underscored, 1 June 2020
See all Example Sentences for buffet 
Noun
Back then, the all-you-can-eat buffet was king; today, the buffet is just part of a huge spectrum of dining choices for Vegas visitors.
—Laurie Ochoa, Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2024
Desert Palms Hotel & Suites Anaheim Resort is located about two blocks from the Disneyland Resort and includes a hot breakfast buffet, a pool, room service, two restaurants, a snack shop, and a lobby lounge.
—Patricia Doherty, Travel + Leisure, 31 May 2024
Verb
Locally, PacWest Bancorp teetered but survived and was later acquired by Banc of California, now based in L.A.
The spike in interest rates put the squeeze on City National, which also was buffeted by actors’ and writers’ strikes last summer.
—Laurence Darmiento, Los Angeles Times, 28 May 2024
In July 2023, seven people were injured on a Hawaiian Airlines flight to Sydney, Australia, when the plane was buffeted by severe turbulence, and 36 people were injured on a Hawaiian Airlines flight from Arizona to Honolulu in December 2022, with 20 people taken to emergency rooms.
—Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 21 May 2024
Adjective
Customers can expect to see non-buffet-style food options, and social distancing will likely require a reduction in the number of people allowed in the usually crowded lounges.
—Julian Kheel, CNN Underscored, 1 June 2020
See all Example Sentences for buffet
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'buffet.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near buffet
Cite this Entry
“Buffet.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/buffet. Accessed 6 Jun. 2024.
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