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
Betsy Cribb Watson, Southern Living, 16 Apr. 2025
It’s situated right on an oceanfront bluff on the island of Antigua in the country Antigua and Barbuda.
—Robin Raven, Forbes.com, 13 Apr. 2025
Jonathan Easley, The Hill, 23 Jan. 2025
This sets the stage for a second season, albeit one presumably missing the tension of a man bluffing his way through a profession that’s not his own.
—Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune, 19 Mar. 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 trail ends with views from a bluff overlooking the Chesapeake Bay.
—Betsy Cribb Watson, Southern Living, 16 Apr. 2025
It’s situated right on an oceanfront bluff on the island of Antigua in the country Antigua and Barbuda.
—Robin Raven, Forbes.com, 13 Apr. 2025
Verb
Slate: Joe Biden clearly thinks Donald Trump isn’t bluffing.
—Jonathan Easley, The Hill, 23 Jan. 2025
This sets the stage for a second season, albeit one presumably missing the tension of a man bluffing his way through a profession that’s not his own.
—Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune, 19 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bluff
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bluff
Adjective
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All four were pronounced deceased at the scene as a result of blunt force injuries sustained in the crash, Allmon said.—
Christopher Cann,
USA Today,
30 Apr. 2025
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One of the men, Terry Carter, would die from multiple blunt force injuries within the hour.—
Nancy Dillon,
Rolling Stone,
28 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Linda is prepared to take matters into her own hands when Nicky orchestrates a drone attack to incapacitate her, after which Charity pushes Linda off the cliff to her death.—
Louis Peitzman,
Vulture,
2 May 2025
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In addition, several media and press reports suggested Microsoft was pulling back its data center commitments and canceling leases, which some took as a sign that demand was falling off a cliff.—
Jeff Marks,
CNBC,
1 May 2025
Verb
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Rather than get stuck in or fooled by the appearance of things, this principle reminded us to sense their energetic underpinnings, such as clarity and intention.—
Ginny Whitelaw,
Forbes.com,
1 May 2025
-
Don’t be fooled by the context of what is said: the basis for the drama is jealousy and control.—
Lisa Stardust,
Refinery29,
1 May 2025
Verb
-
On Friday night, during rounds two and three of the draft, Sanders received a call from someone pretending to be New Orleans Saints general manager Mickey Loomis.—
Joseph Wilkinson,
New York Daily News,
28 Apr. 2025
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After watching a movie with Stoddart, the teenage boys pretended to leave, only to sneak back into the house through the basement shortly after.—
Jordana Comiter,
People.com,
28 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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While part of that abrupt leap stemmed from the fallout of the pandemic, including the minor-league season being canceled, that’s not what would happen today.—
Vahe Gregorian,
Kansas City Star,
8 May 2025
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The latest and most abrupt blow came when the U.S., by far the largest funder, canceled hundreds of millions in grants.—
Gabriel Spitzer,
NPR,
6 May 2025
Noun
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The rim is a 1,200-foot-tall escarpment that rises dramatically above a broad valley, giving you the perfect perch for spotting the show.—
Graham Averill,
Outside Online,
3 Mar. 2025
-
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
Verb
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The latest attacks follow recent patterns, mimicking Google’s own support to trick users into giving up credentials.—
Zak Doffman,
Forbes.com,
4 May 2025
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Elsewhere in the film, the Irish vampire Remmick, pursued by Choctaw vampire hunters, tricks his way into the protection of a pair of Klan members living near Clarksdale and turns them into creatures of the night.—
Adam Serwer,
The Atlantic,
2 May 2025
Verb
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Using a mathematical model, the study authors simulated how different sodium-to-potassium ratios affected bodily systems, including the renal system (kidneys), cardiovascular system, and gastrointestinal system.—
Alisa Hrustic,
Health,
1 May 2025
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The test facility is equipped with a dozen jet fans, each almost as tall as the workers who run them and powerful enough to simulate a Category 5 hurricane.—
Amal Elawady,
The Conversation,
30 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bluff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bluff. Accessed 13 May. 2025.
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