Meaning & Definition of word "Bluff"

Bluff

/blʌf/

1. A steep cliff or bank.
- Example: The hikers stopped to enjoy the view from the bluff overlooking the river.
2. An attempt to deceive someone; a false display of confidence.
- Example: Her bold statement was just a bluff to hide her uncertainty.

1. To deceive or trick someone into believing something that is not true, often by pretending to be stronger or more confident than one actually is.
- Example: He tried to bluff his way through the interview by pretending to have experience he lacked.
2. To create a false impression, especially in a game or competition.
- Example: In poker, players often bluff to make their opponents fold.

Originated from the Dutch word 'bluffen', meaning to puff or swell.

call someone's bluff:

To challenge someone to prove their claims or assertions.

bluff one's way through:

To manage to skip through something with insincerity or deceit.

bluff it out:

To handle a difficult situation with boldness.

put up a bluff:

To create a facade or misleading impression.

deception:

The act of deceiving or misleading.

pretend:

To act as if something is true when it is not.

sham:

Something that is not what it purports to be.

falsity:

The quality of being untrue.

Meaning: To bluff someone off their game

Example Sentence: He really bluffed me off my game during that last hand.

Meaning: Bluffing in conversation

Example Sentence: She was just bluffing in conversation to sound more knowledgeable.