verb
Uncommon
bluff
bluhf
Bluff (verb) means to pretend to be stronger, more confident, or more prepared than you really are, in order to deceive or intimidate. Example: “He bluffed his way through the interview without any real experience.”
verb
1
To pretend to be stronger, more confident, or more prepared than you really are, in order to deceive or intimidate.
"He bluffed his way through the interview without any real experience."
"She was bluffing the whole time — she had a terrible hand."
noun
1
An act of pretending to be stronger or more confident than you really are.
"His threat to quit turned out to be just a bluff."
2
A steep cliff or bank, often beside a river or the sea.
"They watched the sunset from the top of the bluff."
How to use bluff
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo fake confidence or strength you don't actually have — or, as a noun, a steep cliff.
Common mistake
These are two unrelated meanings — a card-game "bluff" and a geographic "bluff" share no connection despite the identical spelling.
Common pairings
call someone's bluff
bluff your way through
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Word forms
- Plural
- bluffs
- Third person singular
- bluffs
- Past tense
- bluffed
- Comparative
- bluffer
- Superlative
- bluffest
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
He _____ his way through the interview without any real experience.
Etymology
Probably from Dutch bluffen ("to brag"), related to German verblüffen ("to stump or perplex").
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for bluff
See all rhymes for bluff →Frequently asked questions
What does “bluff” mean?
The word “bluff” means to pretend to be stronger, more confident, or more prepared than you really are, in order to deceive or intimidate. In plain terms, to fake confidence or strength you don't actually have — or, as a noun, a steep cliff.
How do you pronounce “bluff”?
“Bluff” is pronounced bluhf (/blʌf/ in IPA).
How do you use “bluff” in a sentence?
Here is “bluff” used in a sentence: “He bluffed his way through the interview without any real experience.”
What part of speech is “bluff”?
Depending on how it is used, “bluff” can be a verb and a noun.
Where does the word “bluff” come from?
The word “bluff” comes from German. Probably from Dutch bluffen ("to brag"), related to German verblüffen ("to stump or perplex").
Is “bluff” a common word?
“Bluff” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “bluff” have?
“Bluff” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to pretend to be stronger, more confident, or more prepared than you really are, in order to deceive or intimidate.
What is the difference between "bluff" meaning a cliff and "bluff" meaning to deceive?
These are two unrelated senses of the same word: as a noun, a "bluff" can mean a steep cliff or bank, often beside a river or the sea, while as a verb or separate noun, "bluff" means to pretend to be stronger, more confident, or more prepared than you really are, in order to deceive or intimidate. Context makes clear which sense is meant, since a geographic bluff and a deceptive bluff share no direct connection.
What does it mean to "call someone's bluff"?
To "call someone's bluff" means to challenge a person to act on a threat or claim you believe is false, forcing them to either follow through or admit they were only pretending. It directly draws on the sense of "bluff" as a pretense of strength or confidence.
Is "bluffing" the same as lying?
Bluffing specifically means pretending to be stronger, more confident, or more prepared than you really are, often to intimidate or gain an advantage, such as in poker or negotiation. It overlaps with lying but is narrower in scope, usually referring to a strategic pretense of strength rather than a general false statement of fact.
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