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

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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
Dense residential neighborhoods and freeways sit directly beneath towering bluffs populated by mountain lions, which occasionally hop the fences of backyard swimming pools to feast on domestic cats and dogs. Paul Du Quenoy, Newsweek, 10 Jan. 2025 Each time, the bluff was called, and Ukraine was able to better defend its territory. . . . Michael Poznansky, Foreign Affairs, 3 Jan. 2025
Verb
In poker, this type of bridging is known as bluffing—a game everyone plays, according to Wall. Bryan Robinson, Forbes, 1 Dec. 2024 In one of the funniest scenes, two intrepid fans who sneak into the Plaza Hotel try to bluff their way past a cop who threatens to throw them down the stairs. Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 26 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for bluff 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bluff
Adjective
  • The Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office ruled her death a homicide caused by blunt force trauma to the head.
    Amy McDaniel, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Feb. 2025
  • Its slender, sharp blades effortlessly cut through my thickest eyebrow hairs in need of trimming without leaving them with a blunt, boxy look, and its light, compact size is easy on my sensitive wrists.
    Jennifer Hussein, Allure, 31 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • Tiny the hound became stranded in the middle of the cliff face near the mountain’s summit on Jan. 1, Mesa County Search and Rescue said on Facebook.
    Brooke Baitinger, Idaho Statesman, 27 Jan. 2025
  • Some solid increases across the board here suggest that with at least these two titles (admittedly, a tiny sample size), the RTX 5090 may not see too much of a cliff with older games.
    John Burek, PCMAG, 23 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Don’t be fooled by its cheery name: Happy Face looks haunting.
    Claire Franken, TVLine, 27 Jan. 2025
  • However, phishing is platform-agnostic, relying on fooling you, the user.
    PCMAG, PCMAG, 24 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • As if any of us could be so arrogant as to pretend to play defense with the Reaper.
    Corey Buhay, Outside Online, 1 Feb. 2025
  • Now that the sports leagues and their media partners have all gone from pretending that gambling doesn’t exist to actively encouraging fans to risk a few bucks in the name of good, clean fun, Gavin’s disingenuous casino signage has mutated into a series of laughably affected PSAs.
    Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 31 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • That all came to an abrupt end in 2015 when Clarkson was fired by the BBC for assaulting a producer when his meal failed to arrive after a day’s filming.
    Caroline Frost, Deadline, 1 Feb. 2025
  • Downtown nightlife is in a state of struggle, with ongoing clashes drawing a heavier police presence and the abrupt closure of multiple clubs.
    Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, Orlando Sentinel, 31 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • 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
  • Hike back down the Beach Trail from the visitors center through chaparral and sandy bluffs to the shore at Flat Rock, where rain has eroded deep arroyos into the 300-foot sandstone escarpments.
    Dakota Kim, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2024
Verb
  • In his memoir/self-help book Catching the Big Fish, Lynch called out directors who trick actors into a Method performance.
    Bethy Squires, Vulture, 27 Jan. 2025
  • Cybercriminals set up seemingly legitimate sites that tricked users into downloading malware disguised as harmless software updates.
    Chris Gallagher, USA TODAY, 25 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • The vehicle—previously owned and driven by Elon Musk, CEO of both Tesla and SpaceX—was launched with Falcon Heavy on the rocket’s first test flight in 2018 to simulate the mass of a payload.
    Margherita Bassi, Smithsonian Magazine, 29 Jan. 2025
  • Hiers had the idea to simulate a defensive move using their radios without actually leaving their quarters.
    Jeremy Helligar, People.com, 28 Jan. 2025

Thesaurus Entries Near bluff

Cite this Entry

“Bluff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bluff. Accessed 9 Feb. 2025.

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