bluff 1 of 3

bluff

2 of 3

noun

as in cliff
a steep wall of rock, earth, or ice fossils embedded in a stone bluff that date from the Jurassic period

Synonyms & Similar Words

bluff

3 of 3

verb

Synonym Chooser

How is the word bluff distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of bluff are blunt, brusque, crusty, curt, and gruff. While all these words mean "abrupt and unceremonious in speech and manner," bluff connotes good-natured outspokenness and unconventionality.

a bluff manner

When can blunt be used instead of bluff?

The meanings of blunt and bluff largely overlap; however, blunt suggests directness of expression in disregard of others' feelings.

a blunt appraisal

When is it sensible to use brusque instead of bluff?

While the synonyms brusque and bluff are close in meaning, brusque applies to a sharpness or ungraciousness.

a brusque response

When might crusty be a better fit than bluff?

Although the words crusty and bluff have much in common, crusty suggests a harsh or surly manner sometimes concealing an inner kindliness.

a crusty exterior

When would curt be a good substitute for bluff?

The words curt and bluff can be used in similar contexts, but curt implies disconcerting shortness or rude conciseness.

a curt command

When could gruff be used to replace bluff?

In some situations, the words gruff and bluff are roughly equivalent. However, gruff suggests a hoarse or husky speech which may imply bad temper but more often implies embarrassment or shyness.

puts on a gruff pose

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of 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
With tide pools below and a grassy bluff above, this serene park offers a sense of calm that’s even more powerful when shared with fewer people. Cliff Lewis, Oc Register, 4 Apr. 2025 Many had dismissed his tariff promises as a bluff or a negotiating tactic. Matt Egan, CNN Money, 1 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
  • Autopsy results revealed that Morin had endured 15 to 20 blows to the head and had died from a combination of strangulation and blunt force trauma.
    Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 17 Apr. 2025
  • Not to be blunt, but there’s really no good excuse to skip SPF application, regardless of your skin tone or skin type.
    Catharine Malzahn, Glamour, 11 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Instead, while City have not merely dipped but fallen off a cliff, Arsenal are set to finish a distant second to a team in Liverpool who have signed just one player all season — Federico Chiesa, who has barely played.
    Tim Spiers, New York Times, 21 Apr. 2025
  • There’s a shot of Elizabeth standing on a cliff, staring into a vast expanse as Marianelli’s score swells.
    Abigail Lee, Variety, 18 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • That was probably a terrible decision, in fairness, but Meazza responded by faking a shot to fool a defender, then teed up Piola to score.
    Michael Cox, New York Times, 20 Apr. 2025
  • While the towering shoes may seem intimidating, don’t let their large, often chunky heels fool you: PLatform shoes are among the most comfortable heels in any wardrobe.
    Nina Derwin, Glamour, 17 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Read: America is done pretending about meat All of this social-media attention has been translating into people’s actual eating habits, Victoria Fitzgerald, who oversees Whole Foods Market’s meat merchandising, told me.
    Valerie Trapp, The Atlantic, 17 Apr. 2025
  • The crowd cheered, but Rema was clearly lip-synching and not trying hard to pretend otherwise, pulling the mic away from his mouth while the recording of his voice continued.
    Jem Aswad, Variety, 14 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • With his initial burst, Sanders can maneuver through gaps with abrupt hands/feet or change the line of scrimmage by quickly getting into a blocker’s chest.
    Joe Buscaglia, New York Times, 26 Apr. 2025
  • Early action scenes are told in strangely oblique ways, with gunfire erupting off-screen (but little carnage shown) or else via abrupt cuts, filled in later by ultra-violent flashbacks.
    Peter Debruge, Variety, 24 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • 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
  • Deceptive tactics trick users into providing biometric data unknowingly.
    Mohamed Lazzouni, Forbes.com, 25 Apr. 2025
  • The light from screens can trick your brain into staying awake.
    Lindsay Curtis, Health, 24 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • And a third category were boxes outfitted with plastic plants, perhaps signaling absentee owners or landlords who seek to simulate care.
    Sonja Dümpelmann, The Conversation, 24 Apr. 2025
  • These virtual personas simulate how different customer segments might react to new products, pricing changes or marketing campaigns, allowing businesses to test strategies before launching them to real consumers.
    Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 24 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Bluff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bluff. Accessed 30 Apr. 2025.

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