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Definitions

bluffing

[bluhf-ing] / ˈblʌf ɪŋ /
ADJECTIVE
dishonest
Synonyms
STRONGEST
corrupt crooked deceitful deceptive false fraudulent misleading shady sneaky underhanded unfair unprincipled unscrupulous untrustworthy
WEAK
backbiting bent cheating crafty cunning deceiving designing disreputable double-crossing double-dealing elusive guileful hoodwinking mendacious perfidious recreant shifty sinister slippery sneaking swindling traitorous treacherous tricky two-faced two-timing unctuous villainous wily
Antonyms
STRONGEST
aboveboard ethical fair faithful forthright frank genuine good honest honorable just moral open principled real reliable straight trustworthy truthful upright valid
WEAK
scrupulous
ADJECTIVE
pretended
Synonyms
STRONG
affected assumed avowed cheating concealed counterfeit covered dissimulated fake falsified feigned lying masked mock pretend professed purported quack sham shammed simulated supposed
WEAK
artificial bogus charlatan factitious false fictitious impostrous imposturous make believe ostensible phony pseudo put on so-called spurious
Antonyms
STRONG
bare exposed genuine open original real revealed true
WEAK
sincere
ADJECTIVE
sly
Synonyms
STRONGEST
canny impish ingenious intriguing mischievous roguish shrewd smart subtle
WEAK
arch artful astute cagey calculating captious conniving covert crafty crooked cunning deceitful deceptive delusive designing dishonest dishonorable dissembling double-dealing elusive foxy furtive guileful illusory insidious mean plotting scheming secret sharp shifty slick smooth sneaking stealthy traitorous treacherous tricky underhand unscrupulous wily
Antonyms
STRONGEST
foolish inept stupid
WEAK
honest open simple straight straightforward
ADJECTIVE
sneaking
Synonyms
STRONG
arch calculating conniving crooked designing dissembling intriguing mean plotting scheming slick smart smooth
WEAK
artful astute cagey canny captious covert crafty cunning deceitful deceptive delusive dishonest dishonorable double-dealing elusive foxy furtive guileful illusory impish ingenious insidious mischievous roguish secret secretive sharp shifty shrewd sneaky stealthy subtle surreptitious traitorous treacherous tricky underhand unscrupulous wily
Antonyms
STRONG
aboveboard artless honest
ADJECTIVE
untruthful
Synonyms
STRONGEST
deceitful deceptive false fraudulent misleading untrustworthy
WEAK
cheating corrupt crooked deceiving disreputable double-crossing double-dealing lying shady shifty sneaking sneaky tricky two-faced two-timing underhanded
Antonyms
STRONGEST
faithful frank genuine honest open real reliable trustworthy truthful upright valid
NOUN
fooling
Synonyms
STRONG
farce frolicking jesting joshing kidding roughhouse roughhousing sham skylarking spoofing teasing trifling
WEAK
buffoonery clownishness high jinks horseplay making light mockery nonsense pretense rowdiness
Antonyms
WEAK
seriousness
NOUN
pretending
Synonyms
STRONG
acting cheating concealment counterfeiting covering dissembling dissimulation masking pretense shamming simulation

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Those who remain alive might well be bluffing, projecting resolve even if they would privately prefer to sue for peace.

From Slate • Mar. 26, 2026

The game is open and there is no scope for bluffing.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 25, 2026

Some said war was all but inevitable, while one salesman who gave his name as Mehdi predicted the negotiations would succeed, saying: "The Americans are bluffing."

From Barron's • Feb. 25, 2026

But Scappaticci was bluffing and did not actually want to succeed, since if the government was ordered to tell the truth, he would have been confirmed as Stakeknife.

From BBC • Jan. 25, 2026

“Stop bluffing, Colonel. You can’t court- martial me for desertion in the face of the enemy. It would make you look bad and you probably couldn’t get a conviction.”

From "Catch-22" by Joseph Heller