bluff
1 of 4adjective
ˈbləf 
1
a
: having a broad flattened front
a ship with bluff bows
b
: rising steeply with a broad flat or rounded front
the bluff banks of the river
2
: good-naturedly frank and outspoken
a bluff, easygoing fellow
bluffly adverb
bluffness noun
bluff
2 of 4noun (1)
: a high steep bank : cliff
stood on the bluffs overlooking the ocean
bluff
3 of 4verb
bluffed; bluffing; bluffs
transitive verb
1
a
: to deter or frighten by pretense or a mere show of strength
bluffed them into surrendering
b
: deceive
bluff her way in without a ticket
c
: feign
The catcher bluffed a throw to first.
2
card games : to deceive (an opponent) by a bold bet on an inferior hand
was bluffed out of a winning hand
intransitive verb
: to bluff someone : act deceptively
You can tell when he is bluffing.
bluffer noun
bluff
4 of 4noun (2)
1
a
: a false threat or claim intended to deter or deceive someone : an act or instance of bluffing (see bluff entry 3)
Having … nothing to support his pretensions he decided to put up a bluff.
Sherwood Anderson
Sherwood AndersonHis boss called his bluff.
b
: the practice of bluffing
The agreement had been reached, after weeks of bluff and haggle … Time
Time2
: one who bluffs
Synonyms
Adjective
- abrupt
- blunt
- brusque
- brusk
- crusty
- curt
- downright
- short
- short-spoken
- snippy
- unceremonious
Noun (1)
- barranca
- barranco
- cliff
- crag
- escarpment
- palisade
- precipice
- scar
- scarp
Verb
- bamboozle
- beguile
- buffalo
- burn
- catch
- con
- cozen
- deceive
- delude
- dupe
- fake out
- fool
- gaff
- gammon
- gull
- have
- have on [chiefly British]
- hoax
- hoodwink
- hornswoggle
- humbug
- juggle
- misguide
- misinform
- mislead
- snooker
- snow
- spoof
- string along
- suck in
- sucker
- take in
- trick
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Adjective he's a bluff but good-hearted teacher Verb She says someone else has made her a higher offer, but I think she's bluffing. Don't listen to his threats—he's just bluffing you. I bluffed my way through the interview.
Word History
Etymology
Adjective and Noun (1)
obsolete Dutch blaf flat; akin to Middle Low German blaff smooth
Verb and Noun (2)
probably from Dutch bluffen to boast, play a kind of card game
First Known Use
Adjective
1627, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Noun (1)
1666, in the meaning defined above
Verb
1791, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a
Noun (2)
1845, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Phrases Containing bluff
Kids Definition
bluff 1 of 4
adjective
ˈbləf
1
: rising steeply with a broad front
a bluff shoreline
2
: frank and outspoken in a rough but good-natured way
bluff
2 of 4noun
: a high steep bank : cliff
bluff
3 of 4verb
bluffed; bluffing
: to deceive or frighten by pretending to have more strength or confidence than is really true
bluff
4 of 4noun
: an act or instance of pretending to have more strength, confidence, or ability than is really true
Geographical Definition
Bluff
geographical name
ˈbləf
town in southern New Zealand
Note: Bluff serves as the port for the city of Invercargill.
bluffly
adverb
as in plain
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- plain
- openheartedly
- openly
- straight
- unguardedly
- frankly
- straightforward
- honestly
- unreservedly
- candidly
- baldly
- foursquare
- simply
- sincerely
- plainly
- sharply
- straightforwardly
- forthrightly
- directly
- abruptly
- gruffly
- straightforwards
- brusquely
- artlessly
- earnestly
- rudely
- bluntly
- tactlessly
- truthfully
- curtly
- point-blank
- impolitely
- inconsiderately
- veraciously
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- wordily
- courteously
- politely
- verbosely
- diplomatically
- tactfully
- erroneously
- long-windedly
- deceitfully
- indirectly
- falsely
- civilly
- untruthfully
- mendaciously
- hypocritically
- ambiguously
- insincerely
- evasively
- fallaciously
- circuitously
- equivocally