as in pretending
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in fooling
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 assuming
to present a false appearance of
the basketball player bluffed a shot, then passed instead
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bluffing
Verb
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James cuts back inside onto his right foot, fooling the defender, rather than going to the byline off his left foot.—
Beren Cross,
New York Times,
8 Apr. 2025 -
Each plays a role in fooling their foe, who captures the turtle, while the deer, heeding the turtle’s good counsel, manages a sly escape.—
John Nemec,
The Conversation,
7 Apr. 2025
Verb
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This prompt gives you enough talking points to contribute thoughtfully without pretending to be an expert.—
Dr. Diane Hamilton,
Forbes.com,
4 Apr. 2025
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Interspersed in the narrative, there are South Asian folktales about a jackal who is punished for pretending to be a king and a foolish man who puts all his eggs in a basket.—
Malaka Gharib,
NPR,
21 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The characters are petty, duplicitous, conniving — and also, somehow, strangely sympathetic.—
Calum Marsh,
New York Times,
7 Apr. 2025
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Othello star Jake Gyllenhaal’s backstage home-away-from-home in Broadway’s Barrymore theater is an extension of the Shakespearean world he’s been steeped in while developing his version of Iago, the duplicitous ensign to the titular Venetian army general played by Denzel Washington.—
Charlotte Collins,
Architectural Digest,
24 Mar. 2025
Verb
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The new policy also takes quite a leap by assuming that most of the nation’s elderly population have ever even heard of Twitter, including the New Jersey caller’s 96-year-old mother.—
Leonard Greene,
New York Daily News,
13 Apr. 2025
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At the same time, Representative Newt Gingrich from Georgia was already in ascent, assuming the position of House Minority Whip in March 1989.—
Eli Amdur,
Forbes.com,
13 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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What to Know Condemning Western criticism of Iran's military development as hypocritical, Khamenei stressed the importance of both physical and psychological warfare, according to state media.—
Josh Hammer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 Apr. 2025
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Republicans, meanwhile, have suggested Democrats are being hypocritical about Musk’s involvement, noting that liberals like Pritzker and Soros are also wading into the race.—
Caroline Vakil,
The Hill,
30 Mar. 2025
Verb
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The show, hosted by actor Alan Cumming and set in a remote Scottish castle, features reality TV veterans and celebrities working together—and often deceiving each other—in challenges for a cash prize.—
Raja Krishnamoorthi,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 Apr. 2025
-
Augusta National will quickly expose even the most microscopic weakness in one’s game with its winding fairways and deceiving putting surfaces.—
Gabby Herzig,
New York Times,
8 Apr. 2025
Verb
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In addition to large-scale data theft, economic disruption, and intelligence breaches, quantum computers could be used for malicious purposes such as simulating and synthesizing chemical weapons or optimizing the flight trajectories of a swarm of drones.—
Charina Chou,
Foreign Affairs,
7 Jan. 2025
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Nvidia’s Omniverse allows users to put together world scenes digitally, simulating a physical environment.—
Meghan Hall,
Sourcing Journal,
7 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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The Baldwins shame him, but their righteous indignation feels insincere considering Baldwin wasn’t using her name in that footage with detectives.—
Nina Metz,
Chicago Tribune,
12 Mar. 2025
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Even insincere inquiries are generally appreciated.—
Aditi Shrikant,
CNBC,
26 Feb. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Bluffing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bluffing. Accessed 26 Apr. 2025.
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