as in cliffs
a steep wall of rock, earth, or ice
fossils embedded in a stone bluff that date from the Jurassic period
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
1
as in fools
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 pretends
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 bluffs
Erin Gifford, Outside, 30 Oct. 2025
Known for its brick red buildings, Hermann was established in 1837 by German immigrants, who thought the area's rugged river bluffs resembled the Rhine River valley.
—Erika Ebsworth-Goold, Travel + Leisure, 25 Oct. 2025
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore on the shores of Lake Michigan features miles of sand beach, lush forests, clear inland lakes, unique flora and fauna, towering bluffs, an island lighthouse, coastal villages, picturesque farmsteads and more.
—Jenna Prestininzi, Freep.com, 24 Oct. 2025
Too often, these nations assume such threats are bluffs or exaggerations because their own logic struggles to grasp that someone would be so blatant.
—Big Think, 20 Oct. 2025
His parents’ house, less than a block from the bluffs, was brought down to its foundation, too.
—Gary Baum, HollywoodReporter, 16 Oct. 2025
Typically only found in the limestone and sandstone bluffs in Harrison and Crawford Counties, woodrats in Indiana used to live as far north as Owen County before their populations declined over the past half-century.
—Karl Schneider, IndyStar, 15 Oct. 2025
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
The work is part of Phase 5 of the bluff stabilization project, which began in 2024 as part of an effort to protect the eroding bluffs from earthquakes, sea level rise and other factors.
—Luke Harold, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Sep. 2025
Michael Silver, New York Times, 29 Aug. 2025
Noun
As in, rolling hills, limestone bluffs, and the largest remaining expanse of tallgrass prairie in North America.
—Erin Gifford, Outside, 30 Oct. 2025
Known for its brick red buildings, Hermann was established in 1837 by German immigrants, who thought the area's rugged river bluffs resembled the Rhine River valley.
—Erika Ebsworth-Goold, Travel + Leisure, 25 Oct. 2025
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore on the shores of Lake Michigan features miles of sand beach, lush forests, clear inland lakes, unique flora and fauna, towering bluffs, an island lighthouse, coastal villages, picturesque farmsteads and more.
—Jenna Prestininzi, Freep.com, 24 Oct. 2025
Too often, these nations assume such threats are bluffs or exaggerations because their own logic struggles to grasp that someone would be so blatant.
—Big Think, 20 Oct. 2025
His parents’ house, less than a block from the bluffs, was brought down to its foundation, too.
—Gary Baum, HollywoodReporter, 16 Oct. 2025
Typically only found in the limestone and sandstone bluffs in Harrison and Crawford Counties, woodrats in Indiana used to live as far north as Owen County before their populations declined over the past half-century.
—Karl Schneider, IndyStar, 15 Oct. 2025
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
The work is part of Phase 5 of the bluff stabilization project, which began in 2024 as part of an effort to protect the eroding bluffs from earthquakes, sea level rise and other factors.
—Luke Harold, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Sep. 2025
Verb
Mulugheta, who employed a similar strategy with client Jalen Ramsey that successfully forced a trade during the 2019 regular season, does not come off as a man who cavalierly bluffs.
—Michael Silver, New York Times, 29 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bluffs
Noun
-
The mid-century offered more literal interpretations of cave living, from The Flintstones (1960) to the villainous Bond lair, often hidden within or carved into cliffs.—
Leonora Epstein,
Architectural Digest,
7 Nov. 2025
-
For the second time in two months, a body has been recovered from the base of the steep cliffs that line one of Southern California’s most affluent coastal communities.—
Stepheny Price,
FOXNews.com,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
But nobody pretends that number is reliable.—
Jeffrey Kluger,
Time,
31 Oct. 2025
-
Each night on her ongoing Short n’ Sweet tour Carpenter pretends to arrest a member of the crowd.—
Emily Zemler,
Rolling Stone,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
This park is all escarpments, rivers, and old forests.—
Daniel Scheffler,
Forbes.com,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Mulching too early traps heat and tricks plant roots to remain active and produce new growth.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
8 Nov. 2025
-
An unexpected, shocking tax bill owed after a scammer tricks you into draining a retirement fund to hand over your money to them.—
Susan Tompor,
Freep.com,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
But many of their hitters have already taken swings against him – thanks to the sophisticated technology of Trajekt, a pitching machine that simulates the visual of any major-league pitcher’s mechanics and the shape of his pitches.—
Bill Plunkett,
Oc Register,
24 Oct. 2025
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In the primary bath, the space is lined with $750,000 worth of ivory onyx tile featuring a $20,000 Toto Zero-Gravity tub that simulates floating.—
Abby Montanez,
Robb Report,
15 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The fragmentary Ni 12501 tablet from the Early Dynastic III period of Mesopotamia breaks off when Fox deceives the inhabitants of the netherworld in his quest to retrieve the storm god Ishkur.—
Rafil Kroll-Zaidi,
Harpers Magazine,
19 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Neither the author nor publisher assumes liability for any loss or damage arising from use of this material.—
Lyssanoel Frater,
USA Today,
6 Nov. 2025
-
But all of that assumes that a putsch does succeed, and this is dubious.—
Quico Toro,
The Atlantic,
4 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bluffs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bluffs. Accessed 18 Nov. 2025.
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