French Conversation · Level 134
30 words
French word
bluffer
Pronunciation
IPA/blœfe/
Meaning
- verbbluff
Example
Ne me bluffe pas.
Don't bluff me.
More examples
Elle aime bluffer quand elle joue.
She likes to bluff when she plays.
Core concept
Someone uses an impressive show of assurance to make another person hesitate or believe more than the facts support.
Common phrases
bluffer au jeu
bluff in a game
se faire bluffer par quelqu'un
be bluffed by someone
Similar words
mentir: To deceive by telling someone something contrary to the facts.
prétendre: To claim that something is true without a clear basis.
faire croire: To persuade someone that something is true through words or conduct.
Definition in French
Feindre une assurance, une connaissance ou une position pour convaincre ou dérouter autrui sans réellement les posséder.
Word origin
The French verb bluffer developed from English bluff, whose poker-related sense supplied the model for pretending to hold a stronger position than reality supports.
Usage tips
- Bluffer is common in informal speech and can sound mildly reproachful in Ne me bluffe pas, rather than purely neutral.
Other meanings
- deceiveverb
- pretendverb
Opposites
- dévoilerrevealverb
Related words
- bluffbluffnoun
- blufferiebluffing tacticnoun