1
as in tricked
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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in pretended
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 bluffed
Any time the Patriots succeed with a new blitz or bluffed blitz in the first quarter, offenses expect to see it again later in the game.
—
Andrew Callahan,
Boston Herald,
17 Jan. 2026
On the second interception, Simmons said Delaware bluffed as if an all-out blitz was coming before falling back into coverage and making the pick.
—
Walter Villa,
Miami Herald,
21 Sep. 2025
Andrew Callahan,
Boston Herald,
17 Jan. 2026
On the second interception, Simmons said Delaware bluffed as if an all-out blitz was coming before falling back into coverage and making the pick.
—
Walter Villa,
Miami Herald,
21 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bluffed
Verb
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Ricky Saints tricked the referee into thinking Lil Yachty used the kendo stick on him, and after traveling all the way to Riyadh, Yachty was tossed out just minutes into the match.
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While the war ended years before, the hostility spread from the stands — with skirmishes among supporters — into the field, when Maradona tricked the referee and the world with the World Cup’s most infamous goal, punching the ball into the net with his fist above England’s goalie Peter Shilton.
Verb
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Even though many Metallica fans pretended to loathe the Load albums, headbangers came out for them.
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But at least the administration still pretended that justice was the point.
Verb
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Don’t be fooled by their jaw-dropping price; the flats boast a luxe look thanks to their low profile and—of course—glove silhouette.
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The fluffy blooms on mimosa trees (Albizia julibrissin) look pretty in pink, but don’t be fooled by their dainty appearance.
Verb
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Many business leaders assumed the semiconductor crisis ended with the pandemic.
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The defense attorney said police automatically assumed her client was the suspect from the start.
Verb
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Dana, falling in love with Zorro and out of love with Diego, and being deceived by both, is sublimely affecting.
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In nearly half of all scams, 49% of the victims were also deceived into personally sending money to the scammers.
Verb
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According to Defence Express and EDR, planners simulated a strike against a target nearly 1,000 kilometers away.
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Aaru, a two-year-old AI startup, simulated all of those voters—agents built from the kind of data the company collects, like credit card purchasing history, food-delivery orders, and demographic records—and tried to predict how the votes would be cast.
Cite this Entry
“Bluffed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bluffed. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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