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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.

As it turned out, the bluffing may have been unnecessary.

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

Armed only with a lamp, he managed to scare off the men by bluffing that he had a gun, causing them to flee the scene empty-handed.

From BBC • Feb. 3, 2026

Beneath all the bluffing lies a determination of credibility.

From Slate • Nov. 20, 2025

Alice did it automatically—and because I was bluffing, she got away with it.

From "Kindred" by Octavia Butler

bluffing

Example Sentences

Related Words