Synonyms

bluffing

American

[bluhf-ing] / ˈblʌf ɪŋ /

noun

the act of misleading someone by a display of strength, self-confidence, or the like.

While the bluffing goes on at the negotiating table, the public, the striking workers, and the employer all lose.
Poker, Bridge. the act of deceiving an opponent by a show of confidence in the strength of one’s cards.

The digital version of the game falls short, because the bluffing needs that eye-to-eye contact, the smug and knowing smiles.

adjective

deceiving or misleading someone by a display of strength or confidence.

Determining whether one faces a serious or bluffing adversary constitutes a major challenge in the bargaining process.
“Advertising budget” is a poker term for the amount of chips a bluffing player is willing to invest to deceive opponents.

Other Word Forms

unbluffing

adjective

Etymology

Origin of bluffing

First recorded in 1845–50; bluff ² ( def. ) + -ing ¹ ( def. ) for the noun senses; bluff ² ( def. ) + -ing ² ( def. ) for the adjective sense

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.

Appeared in the May 12, 2026, print edition as 'Iran Thinks Trump Is Bluffing'.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 11, 2026

Bluffing is a common tactic to elicit information from people arrested during an interrogation, police officials said.

From New York Times • Feb. 26, 2020

Bluffing about the evidence one has is a common lawyers maneuver.

From Washington Times • Mar. 26, 2018

Bluffing works in statecraft, but only when your opponent can’t see your cards.

From Slate • Apr. 19, 2017

Bluffing is another form of defence that many animals use.

From The Human Side of Animals by Dixon, Royal

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023