Two for the lunch buffet, please.
Source: tatoeba (29720)
Buffet
/bəˈfeɪ/
Synonyms for "buffet" (273 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (55)
Strong matches (82)
chophousechuck wagonclose withcloutclubcoffee shopcoffeehousecoffeeroomcombatcomedowncompetecompete withcontendcontend againstcontestcontusecookhousecookshackcookshopcounter
Show 56 more words
cowhidecruel disappointmentcudgelcuffcupboardcutdashdashed hopedefeatdeskdinerdining halldining roomdisappointmentdiscomfituredisillusionmentdissatisfactiondo violence todo wrong bydo wrong todog wagondrive indrive-indrive-in restaurantdrubdumpeateryeating houseescritoirefailurefallen countenancefast-food chainfiascofightfight againstfizzleflagellateflailflapflogfoilingforlorn hopefrustrationfustigategive a whippinggive the stickgrapple withgrillgrillroomgrunt and sweathamburger standhammerhash househasheryhasslehaymaker
Related words (136)
hithope deferredhorsewhiphot-dog standhuff and puffill-treatill-useimpactinjurejoin battlejoin battle withkitchenknockknock aboutknoutlabor againstlacelambastelarruplash
Show 98 more words
latherlay onlecternletdownlunch counterlunch wagonluncheonettelunchroommaltreatmanhandlemaulmess hallmilitate againstmiragemishandlemistreatmolestoffer resistanceoutragepainterpastepatterpeltpistol whippistol-whippizzeriapokepommelpoundpulverizepummelpunchquick-lunch counterraprawhidereluctreluctaterestaurantrivalroughrough upsandwich shopsavagescourgescufflesecretairesecretarysetbackslapslap in the faceslap the facesledgehammersmacksmitesmorgasbordsnack barsocietysocksore disappointmentspankspatstandstemstem the tidestrapstrikestripestrivestrive againststrugglestruggle againstswingeswitchtabletake ontantalizationtaverntearoomteasethrashthreshthumptoken punishmenttrattoriatrouncetruncheontusslevievie withwallopwhackwhalewhipwhompwhopworkbenchwrestlewriting table
Verb(2 words)
hitknock about
Noun(16 words)
hutchespoundpummelself serve mealself service mealserversideboardedsideboardssmörgåsbordsmörgåsbordssnack barsnack counterspreadspread outspreadsstrike
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: sideboard, abuse, agonize, ambo, antagonize.
- Sentence evidence is available for buffet, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, moby, derived_reverse, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "buffet".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "buffet"
Keep "buffet" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "buffet" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "buffet", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "buffet" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
12 entriesMore specific
11 entriesCollocations
12 entriesbuffet breakfastbuffet dinnerbuffet linebuffet setupbuffet spreadbuffet tablefierce windsheavy blowsrelentless pressurestrong gustssustained bombardmentviolent waves
Inflections
4 entriesDerivations
3 entriesTranslations
42 translations across 25 languages.
Armenian
1 entries- ֆուրշետ noun (food — see also smorgasbord)
Bulgarian
1 entries- бюфе́т noun (food — see also smorgasbord)
Catalan
1 entries- bufet noun (food — see also smorgasbord)
Chinese Mandarin
1 entries- 自助餐 noun (food — see also smorgasbord)
Chuvash
1 entries- фуршет noun (food — see also smorgasbord)
Esperanto
1 entries- bufedo noun (food — see also smorgasbord)
Estonian
1 entries- rootsi laud noun (food — see also smorgasbord)
Finnish
3 entries- buffetti noun (food — see also smorgasbord)
- noutopöytä noun (food — see also smorgasbord)
- seisova pöytä noun (food — see also smorgasbord)
German
1 entries- Buffet noun (food — see also smorgasbord)
Hebrew
2 entries- בּוּפֶה noun (food — see also smorgasbord)
- מִזְנוֹן noun (food — see also smorgasbord)
Indonesian
2 entries- bufet noun (food — see also smorgasbord)
- prasmanan noun (food — see also smorgasbord)
Japanese
2 entries- バイキング noun (food — see also smorgasbord)
- 食べ放題 noun (food — see also smorgasbord)
Kazakh
1 entries- фуршет noun (food — see also smorgasbord)
Lao
1 entries- ບຸບເຟ່ noun (food — see also smorgasbord)
Lithuanian
1 entries- furšetas noun (food — see also smorgasbord)
Malay
1 entries- bufet noun (food — see also smorgasbord)
Portuguese
1 entries- bufê noun (food — see also smorgasbord)
Russian
3 entries- буфе́т noun (food — see also smorgasbord)
- фурше́т noun (food — see also smorgasbord)
- шве́дский стол noun (food — see also smorgasbord)
Serbo-Croatian
4 entries- švȅdskī stȏ noun (food — see also smorgasbord)
- švȅdskī stȏl noun (food — see also smorgasbord)
- шве̏дскӣ сто̑ noun (food — see also smorgasbord)
- шве̏дскӣ сто̑л noun (food — see also smorgasbord)
Spanish
4 entries- ambigú noun (food — see also smorgasbord)
- bufet noun (food — see also smorgasbord)
- bufé noun (food — see also smorgasbord)
- comida noun (food — see also smorgasbord)
Swedish
1 entries- buffé noun (food — see also smorgasbord)
Tagalog
3 entries- sariling-kuha noun (food — see also smorgasbord)
- sariling-silbi noun (food — see also smorgasbord)
- tintimpye noun (food — see also smorgasbord)
Thai
1 entries- บุฟเฟต์ noun (food — see also smorgasbord)
Ukrainian
1 entries- фурше́т noun (food — see also smorgasbord)
Vietnamese
2 entries- buffet noun (food — see also smorgasbord)
- búp phê noun (food — see also smorgasbord)
Sample sentences
26 total sentences available.
The buffet or the cafeteria is in Car 9.
Source: tatoeba (34634)
Could you show me what you're serving in the buffet?
Source: tatoeba (35106)
There are a lot of people so today we've gone for buffet style.
Source: tatoeba (327744)
Showing 4 of 26 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "buffet"?
Closest matches include sideboard, abuse, agonize, ambo, antagonize.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "buffet"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.