bluff

noun
UK: /blʌf/
US: /blʌf/

  1. An attempt to deceive someone into believing that you can or will do something.

    1. He hoped his bluff would make them back down. [ ] [ ]
    2. It was just a bluff to get her to change her mind, but she called it. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

deceit ruse feint sham lie fake
bluff verb

  1. To try to deceive someone by pretending that you know more or can do something better than you really can, or that you intend to do something that you do not really intend to do.

    1. I don't know if he will jump, but I think he is bluffing. [ ] [ ]
    2. He bluffed his way into the job, despite lacking the necessary experience. [ ] [ ]

  2. To succeed in deceiving someone; deceive

    1. She bluffed him into giving her his password. [ ] [ ]
    2. The con artist bluffed them out of all their savings with a clever story. [ ] [ ]
bluff adjective

  1. Having a very steep, vertical face.

    1. The house was perched on a bluff overlooking the sea. [ ] [ ]
    2. We hiked to the top of the bluff to enjoy the spectacular view of the valley. [ ] [ ]

Frequently Asked Questions

The phonetic transcription of "bluff" is /blʌf/ in British English and /blʌf/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "bluff": deceit, ruse, feint, sham, lie, fake.

Example usage of "bluff": "He hoped his bluff would make them back down.". More examples on the page.