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
Laylan Connelly, Oc Register, 22 Sep. 2025
Or book a stay at Horseshoe Canyon Ranch for daily horseback rides surrounded by beautiful meadows and sandstone bluffs.
—Katie Strasberg Rousso, Southern Living, 19 Sep. 2025
Daniel Fusch, USA Today, 11 Aug. 2025
Oil prices closed 1% lower as traders seem to believe the president is bluffing and the tariff won't really go into effect.
—Spencer Kimball, CNBC, 7 Aug. 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
The men were left to the mercy of the high surf that morning, historian Paul Burnett recounted to a crowd gathered on the bluffs in Corona del Mar on a recent day.
—Laylan Connelly, Oc Register, 22 Sep. 2025
Or book a stay at Horseshoe Canyon Ranch for daily horseback rides surrounded by beautiful meadows and sandstone bluffs.
—Katie Strasberg Rousso, Southern Living, 19 Sep. 2025
Verb
David Lerner, the mind behind MAGLYNX is not bluffing his way through buzzwords or chasing Silicon Valley validation.
—Daniel Fusch, USA Today, 11 Aug. 2025
Oil prices closed 1% lower as traders seem to believe the president is bluffing and the tariff won't really go into effect.
—Spencer Kimball, CNBC, 7 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bluff
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bluff
Adjective
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Related Stories His latest is a blunt cinematic instrument — loud, loaded and bursting with carnage and ideological angst.—
Clayton Davis,
Variety,
2 Oct. 2025
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In December 2024, Anderson revealed blunt bangs at a screening of her film The Last Showgirl in West Hollywood.—
Catherine Santino,
PEOPLE,
30 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Mickey piloted the boat to the cliffs, dropped anchor, and the four of them swam to shore.—
David Wright Faladé,
New Yorker,
28 Sep. 2025
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Dramatic limestone cliffs ensure picture-perfect views at every turn, and, even in the height of summer, sweeping beaches ensure there's room for everyone on the sand.—
Stacey Leasca,
Travel + Leisure,
28 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Prosecutors told the court the scheme had raised at least $650 million and called it a classic Ponzi structure that fooled even Horwitz’s closest friends.—
Christina Coulter,
PEOPLE,
30 Sep. 2025
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Don’t let their elegant fancy-restaurant flavors fool you.—
Cathy Thomas,
Oc Register,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Kids can pretend to be Chase on a case, but there are also other Paw Patrol Halloween costumes, including Marshall, Rocky, Rubble, Skye, Zuma, and Everest.—
Katrina Cossey,
Parents,
1 Oct. 2025
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Beneath the prosthetics and punchlines lies a story about the cost of pretending and the possibility of renewal.—
JP Mangalindan,
Time,
30 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Continue reading … ‘ONE LAST CHANCE’ – Lawmakers reveal how Adams' abrupt campaign exit impacts NYC mayoral race.—
,
FOXNews.com,
1 Oct. 2025
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Their results under him have been largely grim, but United have more than footballing reasons to bear in mind when considering whether or not to bring the Amorim experiment to an abrupt end.—
Chris Weatherspoon,
New York Times,
1 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Perched on the eastern escarpment of the Great Rift Valley with the Ewaso Narok River to the east and the slopes of Mount Kenya to the south, andBeyond Suyian Lodge offers endless panoramic views and access to a wide variety of landscapes, from savannas to rivers and Vechellia woodlands.—
Rebekah Peppler,
Travel + Leisure,
19 Sep. 2025
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This park is all escarpments, rivers, and old forests.—
Daniel Scheffler,
Forbes.com,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
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In other words, the top search results aren't always safe, and that's exactly how scammers trick people.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
29 Sep. 2025
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But the content, murky and misleading, is designed to trick Californians into voting for a power grab.—
Laura Koval,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
29 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Lighting systems are used throughout the streets to simulate daytime conditions, and in turn, the paddock operates on European time.—
Madeline Coleman,
New York Times,
2 Oct. 2025
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OpenAI also claims that Sora is a step toward an AI model that can accurately simulate the world.—
Billy Perrigo,
Time,
2 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bluff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bluff. Accessed 5 Oct. 2025.
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