playing dumb
Acting deliberately clueless
Playing dumb is pretending not to know or understand something you actually do.
The act may be defensive—avoiding responsibility or awkward conversations: When the boss asked about the missing files, she played dumb.
It can also be strategic, letting others reveal information while you feign ignorance.
Sometimes it's self-protective: He played dumb about the surprise party.
Simulating what isn't real
- bluffingDeceiving about one's position
- fakingSimulating something false
- dissemblingConcealing true motives
- misleadingCausing false beliefs
deceiving · hoodwinking · bamboozling · masquerading · shamming · obfuscating · evading · disingenuous
Lacking any understanding
- obliviousLacking any awareness
- unawareLacking knowledge of something
- baffledUtterly unable to understand
- puzzledConfused by something unclear
confused · perplexed · blank stare · wide-eyed · guileless · ingenuous · simple · childlike
Calculated deceptive tactic
- ruseDeliberate act of deception
- tacticPlanned action for advantage
- gambitRisky opening for advantage
- stratagemDeceptive plan for advantage
scheme · maneuver · subterfuge · trick · con · grift · hustle · game
Act of escaping detection
- deflectionChange in trajectory
- stonewallingDeliberately refusing to respond
- sidesteppingMoving aside to avoid
- dodgingAvoiding by moving aside
stalling · noncommittal · vague · elusive · cagey · tight-lipped · mum · plausible deniability
pretending
Simulating what isn't real
- bluffingDeceiving about one's position
- fakingSimulating something false
- dissemblingConcealing true motives
misleading · deceiving · hoodwinking · bamboozling · masquerading · shamming · obfuscating · evading · disingenuous · coy
clueless
Lacking any understanding
- obliviousLacking any awareness
- unawareLacking knowledge of something
- baffledUtterly unable to understand
puzzled · confused · perplexed · blank stare · wide-eyed · guileless · ingenuous · simple · childlike · unsuspecting
ploy
Calculated deceptive tactic
stratagem · scheme · maneuver · subterfuge · trick · con · grift · hustle · game · angle
evasion
Act of escaping detection
- deflectionChange in trajectory
- stonewallingDeliberately refusing to respond
- sidesteppingMoving aside to avoid
dodging · stalling · noncommittal · vague · elusive · cagey · tight-lipped · mum · plausible deniability · selective memory
- slang behaviorsgoofing off, messing around, fooling around, horsing around, slacking
- avoidance tacticsdodge, evasion, deflection, misdirection, runaround
- dirty trickscheating, lying, deceit, trickery, deception
- evasionsno comment, dodge, deflection, hedging, equivocation
- manipulationgaslighting, guilt tripping, blame-shifting, brainwashing, guilt trip
- office politicsoffice politics, backstabbing, favoritism, nepotism, politicking
playing dumbshowing off
Ostentatious self-display
bragging · grandstanding · pontificating · mansplaining · name-dropping
play, dumb, plays, played, player, players, playful, playfully, playfulness