Pronunciation: /blʌf/

Definitions of bluff

noun a steep cliff, bank, or promontory

Example Sentences

A1 He tried to scare the other kids with a bluff about a ghost in the woods.

A2 She saw through his bluff and realized he was lying about his age.

B1 The politician's bluff about lowering taxes was quickly debunked by economists.

B2 The poker player's bluff was so convincing that his opponent folded their hand.

C1 The CEO's bluff about expanding into new markets turned out to be a risky move.

C2 Her bluff of resigning from the company if her demands were not met was taken seriously by the board.

verb to try to deceive someone by making them believe something that is not true

Example Sentences

A1 He tried to bluff his way out of trouble by pretending he knew the answer.

A2 She bluffed her opponent into thinking she had a better hand in poker.

B1 The salesman bluffed about the quality of the product to make a sale.

B2 The politician was caught bluffing about his involvement in the scandal.

C1 The expert bluffed his way through the interview, even though he didn't know much about the topic.

C2 She was known for her ability to bluff convincingly in high-stakes negotiations.

adjective having a broad, steep face

Example Sentences

A1 He wore a bluff expression to hide his nervousness.

A2 She gave a bluff response to avoid revealing her true feelings.

B1 The salesman's bluff attitude made it difficult to trust his claims.

B2 The CEO's bluff demeanor masked his true intentions.

C1 The politician's bluff promises were seen through by the public.

C2 The spy used a bluff cover story to infiltrate the enemy's headquarters.

Examples of bluff in a Sentence

formal The businessman tried to bluff his way through the negotiations.

informal Don't believe him, he's just bluffing.

slang She's really good at calling someone's bluff.

figurative His confident demeanor was just a bluff to hide his insecurities.

Grammatical Forms of bluff

past tense

bluffed

plural

bluffs

comparative

more bluff

superlative

most bluff

present tense

bluffs

future tense

will bluff

perfect tense

have bluffed

continuous tense

is bluffing

singular

bluff

positive degree

bluff

infinitive

to bluff

gerund

bluffing

participle

bluffed

Origin and Evolution of bluff

First Known Use: 1601 year
Language of Origin: Dutch
Story behind the word: The word 'bluff' originated from the Dutch word 'blaf', meaning 'flat, broad'. It was first used in English to describe a steep cliff or bank.
Evolution of the word: Over time, the meaning of 'bluff' evolved to also include the idea of deception or misleading behavior, as seen in the phrase 'calling someone's bluff'.