bluff.
An act of bluffing; a false expression of the strength of one’s position in order to intimidate or deceive; braggadocio.
Meaning & usage
An act of bluffing; a false expression of the strength of one’s position in order to intimidate or deceive; braggadocio.
That is only bluff, or That is only a bluff.
An attempt to represent oneself as holding a stronger hand than one actually does.
John’s bet was a bluff: he bet without even so much as a pair.
The card game poker.
One who bluffs; a bluffer.
Pretense, excuse.
Where this word comes from
Probably from Dutch bluffen (“to brag”), from Middle Dutch bluffen (“to make something swell; to bluff”); or from the Dutch noun bluf (“bragging”). Related to German verblüffen (“to stump, perplex”).
To make a bluff; to give the impression that one’s hand is stronger than it is.
John bluffed by betting without even a pair.
To frighten, deter, or deceive with a false show of strength or confidence; to give a false impression of strength or temerity in order to intimidate or gain some advantage.
The government claims it will call an election if this bill does not pass. Is it truly ready to do so, or is it bluffing?
To perform or achieve by bluffing.
We bluffed our way past the guards.
To give false information intentionally, to lie (to someone), to deceive; to put on an act.
Where this word comes from
Probably from Dutch bluffen (“to brag”), from Middle Dutch bluffen (“to make something swell; to bluff”); or from the Dutch noun bluf (“bragging”). Related to German verblüffen (“to stump, perplex”).
A high, steep bank, for example by a river or the sea, or beside a ravine or plain; a cliff with a broad face.
A small wood or stand of trees, typically poplar or willow.
Where this word comes from
Related to Middle Low German blaff (“smooth”).
Having a broad, flattened front.
the bluff bows of a ship
Rising steeply with a flat or rounded front.
Surly; churlish; gruff; rough.
Roughly frank and hearty in one's manners.
a bluff answer
a bluff manner of talking
Where this word comes from
Related to Middle Low German blaff (“smooth”).
To fluff, puff or swell up.
Where this word comes from
Possibly onomatopoeic, perhaps related to blow and puff.
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Definitions, grammatical labels, IPA, etymology and examples: Wiktionary contributors, extracted by Kaikki / Wiktextract. Adapted under CC BY-SA 4.0. Selected fields and authored examples are shown; third-party quotations and audio are omitted. See contributor history.
Last enriched 2026-09-10. Definitions are in English. Romanizations are shown when supplied by the source; syllable estimates are omitted for unsupported scripts.