as in blunt
being or characterized by direct, brief, and potentially rude speech or manner
he's a bluff but good-hearted teacher
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to fool
to cause to believe what is untrue
I bluffed the interviewer into believing that I could really speak French and thus would be the perfect person to serve in the newspaper's Paris bureau
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to pretend
to present a false appearance of
the basketball player bluffed a shot, then passed instead
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of bluff
Heidi Blake, The New Yorker, 16 Oct. 2023
Though the Explorer majors much more on practicality, somehow Ford has managed to turn a fairly bluff front-end styling and generally boxy silhouette familiar to properly sensible family SUV into an attractive design.
—WIRED, 21 Mar. 2023
Jamie Siebrase, The Denver Post, 23 Mar. 2025
The Olympian shared a photo of him post-question-pop on Instagram, showing the two of them kissing on said bluffs (with her ring on full display).
—Zoey Lyttle, People.com, 15 Feb. 2025
Corey Masisak, The Denver Post, 10 Mar. 2025
The art of bluffing in itself, which is what the movie is all about, isn’t something to be flippant about.
—Lily Ford, The Hollywood Reporter, 24 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bluff
Adjective
One day in 2010, an e-mail from Steve Wentzel, the Zimbabwean tycoon, arrived in the in-box of one of South Pole’s founders—a tall, bluff German man named Christian Dannecker.
—Heidi Blake, The New Yorker, 16 Oct. 2023
Though the Explorer majors much more on practicality, somehow Ford has managed to turn a fairly bluff front-end styling and generally boxy silhouette familiar to properly sensible family SUV into an attractive design.
—WIRED, 21 Mar. 2023
Noun
On weekends, Stark’s family biked through a magical corridor to reach Minnehaha Falls Regional Park, with its stunning limestone bluffs and beloved 53-foot waterfall.
—Jamie Siebrase, The Denver Post, 23 Mar. 2025
The Olympian shared a photo of him post-question-pop on Instagram, showing the two of them kissing on said bluffs (with her ring on full display).
—Zoey Lyttle, People.com, 15 Feb. 2025
Verb
He was stunned the Avs weren’t bluffing and actually traded him.
—Corey Masisak, The Denver Post, 10 Mar. 2025
The art of bluffing in itself, which is what the movie is all about, isn’t something to be flippant about.
—Lily Ford, The Hollywood Reporter, 24 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bluff
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bluff
Adjective
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Autopsy results revealed that Morin had endured 15 to 20 blows to the head and had died from a combination of strangulation and blunt force trauma.—
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten,
FOXNews.com,
17 Apr. 2025
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Not to be blunt, but there’s really no good excuse to skip SPF application, regardless of your skin tone or skin type.—
Catharine Malzahn,
Glamour,
11 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The burial chamber was uncovered at the base of a desert cliff almost 23 feet beneath Abydos, one of Egypt’s oldest cities about 300 miles south of Cairo and roughly six miles from the Nile River.—
Andrew Paul,
Popular Science,
27 Mar. 2025
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Researchers uncovered the tomb at the mountain, at the base of a high desert cliff where strong winds carry gusts of sand.—
Alan Yuhas,
New York Times,
27 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Then, as if anyone was fooled, the talk show host pulled off his hat, wig and snap-on nose and lip piercings and Sheeran pulled of his wig to reveal his signature carrot top to shouts of joy.—
Gil Kaufman,
Billboard,
9 Apr. 2025
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But don't let the name fool you, Murderbot isn't actually the frightening story of a dangerous security robot.—
Shania Russell,
EW.com,
9 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Read: America is done pretending about meat All of this social-media attention has been translating into people’s actual eating habits, Victoria Fitzgerald, who oversees Whole Foods Market’s meat merchandising, told me.—
Valerie Trapp,
The Atlantic,
17 Apr. 2025
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The crowd cheered, but Rema was clearly lip-synching and not trying hard to pretend otherwise, pulling the mic away from his mouth while the recording of his voice continued.—
Jem Aswad,
Variety,
14 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Loading your audio article OAKLAND — Less than a year after Alameda County agreed to his release from prison in an abrupt turnabout, a local resident has been charged with nine felonies in connection with a recent shooting.—
Nate Gartrell,
Mercury News,
11 Apr. 2025
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As a result, a conclusion that seems like it’s supposed to be shocking lands as a glib, abrupt cop-out.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
10 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The rim is a 1,200-foot-tall escarpment that rises dramatically above a broad valley, giving you the perfect perch for spotting the show.—
Graham Averill,
Outside Online,
3 Mar. 2025
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The stately Fairmont Le Château Frontenac is a ubiquitous presence in Quebec City, always peering down on visitors from its highpoint on the Cap Diamant escarpment.—
Vjosa Isai,
New York Times,
23 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Be Wary of Phishing Emails and Texts After a breach, scammers may impersonate the affected company to trick you into clicking malicious links.—
Alex Vakulov,
Forbes.com,
8 Apr. 2025
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She was tricked by the very devilish Zeus, who broke his way into many marriages.—
Mike Lynch,
Twin Cities,
6 Apr. 2025
Verb
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At the same time, AI tools can simulate these attacks so security teams can identify and address organizational vulnerabilities before an actual attack takes place.—
David Henkin,
Forbes.com,
8 Apr. 2025
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In early February, New Shepard successfully simulated the moon's low gravity on board its capsule during a brief flight.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
7 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bluff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bluff. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.
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