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
Joie Probst, Midwest Living, 10 Apr. 2026
One afternoon, in Jasper, Gordon Watkins, who runs the Buffalo River Watershed Alliance, pointed to the limestone bluffs along the Buffalo National River.
—Jessica Mathews, Fortune, 3 Apr. 2026
During the Civil War, 200 Confederate soldiers called the bluffs above the Apalachicola River home for two years.
—Carrie Honaker, Travel + Leisure, 3 Apr. 2026
Although a long shot, some fans believe that Stevens' comments about not returning to college basketball are just bluffs.
—Tyler Erzberger, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2026
By night, enjoy the wavy shoreline and ochre limestone bluffs from your campsite.
—Madison Chapman, Outside, 25 Mar. 2026
Another fence is causing trouble in Del Mar, where residents went to court a few years ago to stop the installation of a safety fence along the railroad tracks on the seaside bluffs.
—Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Mar. 2026
Trump’s version of events, as is so often the case, isn’t based on facts, but wishcasting, projection, bombast and bluffs.
—S.e. Cupp, New York Daily News, 11 Mar. 2026
High on the bluffs overlooking the Upper Mississippi River, Effigy Mounds National Monument preserves more than 200 ancient earthen mounds shaped like bears, birds, and spirits of the natural world.
—Susan Stapleton, Des Moines Register, 9 Mar. 2026
Michael Silver, New York Times, 29 Aug. 2025
Noun
Novices can stroll along the Upper Dells and bluffs or more adventurous explorers can descend down two trails that snake through the interior.
—Joie Probst, Midwest Living, 10 Apr. 2026
One afternoon, in Jasper, Gordon Watkins, who runs the Buffalo River Watershed Alliance, pointed to the limestone bluffs along the Buffalo National River.
—Jessica Mathews, Fortune, 3 Apr. 2026
During the Civil War, 200 Confederate soldiers called the bluffs above the Apalachicola River home for two years.
—Carrie Honaker, Travel + Leisure, 3 Apr. 2026
Although a long shot, some fans believe that Stevens' comments about not returning to college basketball are just bluffs.
—Tyler Erzberger, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2026
By night, enjoy the wavy shoreline and ochre limestone bluffs from your campsite.
—Madison Chapman, Outside, 25 Mar. 2026
Another fence is causing trouble in Del Mar, where residents went to court a few years ago to stop the installation of a safety fence along the railroad tracks on the seaside bluffs.
—Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Mar. 2026
Trump’s version of events, as is so often the case, isn’t based on facts, but wishcasting, projection, bombast and bluffs.
—S.e. Cupp, New York Daily News, 11 Mar. 2026
High on the bluffs overlooking the Upper Mississippi River, Effigy Mounds National Monument preserves more than 200 ancient earthen mounds shaped like bears, birds, and spirits of the natural world.
—Susan Stapleton, Des Moines Register, 9 Mar. 2026
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 cliffs formed at the end of the Ice Age thanks to glacial activity carving out the gorge.—
Joie Probst,
Midwest Living,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Here, the sun cast stark, dramatic shadows across the moon’s steep cliffs, rugged ripples and seemingly bottomless craters.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
What fools these non-OpenAI mortals must be.—
Jim Cramer,
CNBC,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
This team is improved, has a deeper roster, no longer pretends Kris Bryant is a major league player and features more functional pitchers (No, seriously).—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
4 Apr. 2026
-
The narrator of Lerner’s tight, astonishingly trenchant new book pretends to record part of his conversations with his elderly mentor and then uses his memory to write a profile.—
Bethanne Patrick,
Los Angeles Times,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Just as the sun prepared to sink beyond the escarpments, its rays struck every piece of the fractured glass resting on top of the window frames, alighting all of them at once, as if they were shot with electricity.—
New York Times,
New York Times,
16 Mar. 2026
-
This park is all escarpments, rivers, and old forests.—
Daniel Scheffler,
Forbes.com,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
San Diego startup Neomorph on Monday announced a new $100 million investment for its molecular glue that tricks cancer cells into self-destructing.—
Noelle Harff,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
13 Apr. 2026
-
During the final moments of the finale, Jimmy is seen sitting down for breakfast with Sofi after Paul (Harrison Ford) tricks him into meeting one last time.—
Stacy Lambe,
PEOPLE,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
An Alabama rig simulates an entire school of baitfish by bringing five or more swimbaits together in one seamless rig.—
Derek Horner,
Outdoor Life,
16 Apr. 2026
-
This includes creating a training center that simulates fighting a fire on a Baltimore City block.—
Tara Lynch,
CBS News,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
In a statement issued Friday, the commission accused X of using its 'blue checkmark' in a way that deceives users.—
Mary Cunningham,
CBS News,
5 Dec. 2025
-
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
-
The Lost Man isn’t the only one who assumes control of the film’s narrative, which is divided into three chapters, each centered on a different figure.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
10 Apr. 2026
-
The equation assumes a historical average snowline at around 4,000 feet in most basins, Hoekema said.—
Mark Dee,
Idaho Statesman,
10 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bluffs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bluffs. Accessed 18 Apr. 2026.
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