bluff 1 of 3

bluff

2 of 3

noun

as in cliff
a steep wall of rock, earth, or ice fossils embedded in a stone bluff that date from the Jurassic period

Synonyms & Similar Words

bluff

3 of 3

verb

Synonym Chooser

How is the word bluff distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of bluff are blunt, brusque, crusty, curt, and gruff. While all these words mean "abrupt and unceremonious in speech and manner," bluff connotes good-natured outspokenness and unconventionality.

a bluff manner

When can blunt be used instead of bluff?

The meanings of blunt and bluff largely overlap; however, blunt suggests directness of expression in disregard of others' feelings.

a blunt appraisal

When is it sensible to use brusque instead of bluff?

While the synonyms brusque and bluff are close in meaning, brusque applies to a sharpness or ungraciousness.

a brusque response

When might crusty be a better fit than bluff?

Although the words crusty and bluff have much in common, crusty suggests a harsh or surly manner sometimes concealing an inner kindliness.

a crusty exterior

When would curt be a good substitute for bluff?

The words curt and bluff can be used in similar contexts, but curt implies disconcerting shortness or rude conciseness.

a curt command

When could gruff be used to replace bluff?

In some situations, the words gruff and bluff are roughly equivalent. However, gruff suggests a hoarse or husky speech which may imply bad temper but more often implies embarrassment or shyness.

puts on a gruff pose

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of 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
The state’s oldest lighthouse resides atop a 60-foot bluff overlooking Egans Creek. Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 27 July 2025 The idea for the promotion for the upcoming Marvel movie is to be able to see it from above, either from the bluff or the passing trains. Laylan Connelly, Oc Register, 3 July 2025
Verb
This is a betrayal of the bottom 80% by bad actors that are bluffing about bums bilking benefits. Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 June 2025 Lying is a fundamental human act, and bluffing games of one sort or another are found in cultures around the globe. Jason Anthony, The Atlantic, 14 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for bluff
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bluff
Adjective
  • Some policymakers have advocated for blunt price caps as a quick solution to escalating drug prices.
    Rita Numerof, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2025
  • Gone are the Davos power sheaths and blunt business bob from her time as White House senior adviser.
    Martha Ross, Mercury News, 12 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Through a gate, past an old bathhouse — once one of Hungary’s first concrete structures — a narrow alley leads to an unmarked doorway in the cliff.
    Jennifer Walker, CNN Money, 18 Aug. 2025
  • Acknowledging how unpopular that decision may prove to be, some moderate Republicans are already pushing for a bipartisan deal to avoid the cliff.
    Eleanor Mueller, semafor.com, 18 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • The set also comes with two matching pillow shams, and it’s been awarded nearly 2,000 perfect five-star ratings from happy customers—many of whom say not to be fooled by the low price.
    Mariana Best, Better Homes & Gardens, 18 Aug. 2025
  • Don’t be fooled by its sports bar vibe; 357 Bar & Grill is open for breakfast and serves the heartiest breakfast (bacon, eggs, hashbrowns, stack of pancakes) in town.
    Shauna Farnell, Denver Post, 15 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • The latest text message attacks making headlines (1,2,3) pretend to be from Amazon.
    Zak Doffman, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025
  • The scammer will pretend to be verified customers and leave reviews for the products that are delivered to unsuspecting residents.
    Laura Daniella Sepulveda, AZCentral.com, 15 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • The abrupt decision bypassed the government’s normal process for evaluating and recommending vaccines, and Kennedy did not offer scientific evidence to justify the change to the recommendations.
    Deidre McPhillips, CNN Money, 22 Aug. 2025
  • There is nothing more abrupt in pro sports than retirement.
    Troy Renck, Denver Post, 22 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • The escarpment—a sheer sandstone ridge that rises abruptly from the plains—stretches for miles, its ledges dotted with Tellem dwellings—eerily perched and unreachable—while Dogon homes cluster below.
    Lewis Nunn, Forbes.com, 24 Aug. 2025
  • The main issue was accessibility, or lack thereof, thanks to the combination of rugged mountains and a massive escarpment that cut the place off from the world.
    Ned Zeman, Outside, 14 Nov. 2021
Verb
  • All these attacks lead to fake sign-in pages that steal your password, and sometimes add an additional step to either trick you into sharing a 2FA code or to bypass the need for that 2FA code completely.
    Zak Doffman, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 2025
  • Whereas in the past a lot of scams tried to trick you into giving out your financial account numbers, many now seek to persuade you to move your money from one of your accounts to another type of account the scammers can access.
    Jeanne Sahadi, CNN Money, 20 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • In April, an E-6B aircraft simulated the launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile using the ALCS.
    Ryan Chan, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Aug. 2025
  • Vermeulen is a prominent space systems researcher who commanded the first HI-SEAS (Hawaii Space Exploration Analog and Simulation) mission in 2013 — a four-month-long Mars habitat analog experiment that aimed to simulate life on a Mars base.
    Ian Stokes, Space.com, 21 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Bluff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bluff. Accessed 27 Aug. 2025.

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