blunt

1 of 3

adjective

1
: having an edge or point that is not sharp
scissors with blunt ends
was hit over the head with a blunt instrument
gave her bangs a blunt cut just above her eyebrows
2
a
: abrupt in speech or manner
She tends to be blunt.
a blunt refusal
b
: being straight to the point : direct
To be perfectly blunt, I don't think he can do it.
3
a
: slow or deficient in feeling : insensitive
… showing how blunt the eyes and ears of writers generally are …Norman Foerster
b
: obtuse (see obtuse sense 2a) in understanding or discernment : dull
his blunt mind
bluntly adverb
bluntness noun

blunt

2 of 3

verb

blunted; blunting; blunts

transitive verb

: to make less sharp, definite, or forceful
an ax blunted from use
blunted their criticism by praising her enthusiasm

intransitive verb

: to become blunt (see blunt entry 1)

blunt

3 of 3

noun

: a cigar that has been hollowed out and filled with marijuana
Choose the Right Synonym for blunt

dull, blunt, obtuse mean not sharp, keen, or acute.

dull suggests a lack or loss of keenness, zest, or pungency.

a dull pain
a dull mind

blunt suggests an inherent lack of sharpness or quickness of feeling or perception.

a person of blunt sensibility

obtuse implies such bluntness as makes one insensitive in perception or imagination.

too obtuse to take the hint

bluff, blunt, brusque, curt, crusty, gruff mean abrupt and unceremonious in speech and manner.

bluff connotes good-natured outspokenness and unconventionality.

a bluff manner

blunt suggests directness of expression in disregard of others' feelings.

a blunt appraisal

brusque applies to a sharpness or ungraciousness.

a brusque response

curt implies disconcerting shortness or rude conciseness.

a curt command

crusty suggests a harsh or surly manner sometimes concealing an inner kindliness.

a crusty exterior

gruff suggests a hoarse or husky speech which may imply bad temper but more often implies embarrassment or shyness.

puts on a gruff pose

Examples of blunt in a Sentence

Adjective To be perfectly blunt, I find her annoying. He was blunt about needing more privacy. Verb a weapon blunted by use the mushy music blunted the effect of the movie's final tragic scene
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
Truth will serve you better than being too cowardly to be blunt. Eugenia Last, The Mercury News, 13 Mar. 2024 Mariela was thrown from the vehicle and sustained multiple blunt force injuries. Christine Pelisek, Peoplemag, 12 Mar. 2024 Reports at the time said she had been killed by blunt force trauma. Olivia Diaz, Washington Post, 9 Mar. 2024 The 65-year-old woman had suffered blunt force head trauma, according to a news release from the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office. Paloma Chavez, Miami Herald, 6 Mar. 2024 Charleston County Coroner Bobbi Jo O'Neal previously told PEOPLE in a statement that 34-year-old Miller died on the scene on April 28 from blunt force injuries. Brenton Blanchet, Peoplemag, 2 Mar. 2024 Riley had gone for a morning jog on University of Georgia's campus – located near Augusta University – when she was attacked and died of blunt force trauma. Andrea Vacchiano, Fox News, 2 Mar. 2024 Upon exiting the meeting, Democratic leaders were blunt about the dangers Ukraine is facing. Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 28 Feb. 2024 Cherish died from blunt force trauma on Christmas Eve, according to officials. Jennifer Rodriguez, Kansas City Star, 27 Feb. 2024
Verb
The three men met in person to discuss Golden-Gottlieb’s confidential complaint and ways to blunt it. Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 17 Feb. 2024 The relatively new practice of premiering ads before the game also blunted the sense of discovery, which helped distinguish the truly fresh drops. Brian Lowry, CNN, 11 Feb. 2024 The decision suggests that the airstrikes, which began last week, have so far done little to blunt Iran’s efforts. Elizabeth Robinson, NBC News, 7 Feb. 2024 Different combinations of gut microbiota can enhance or blunt the effectiveness of a pill. Dan Samorodnitsky, Quanta Magazine, 17 Jan. 2024 Disney hopes the market’s reaction will blunt calls by Peltz and Blackwells to shake up the board. Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 13 Feb. 2024 The findings will almost certainly blunt Biden’s ability to criticize Trump over his handling of classified documents. Jill Colvin, Twin Cities, 9 Feb. 2024 The administration’s choice was also driven by an assumption that by boosting the maritime forces in Yemen’s vicinity, Washington could prevent or at least blunt the Houthis’ damage to commerce. Noam Raydan, Foreign Affairs, 6 Feb. 2024 And American officials have said those systems — including Patriot batteries — have proved capable of blunting the damage of Russian missile attacks. Eric Schmitt, New York Times, 22 Jan. 2024
Noun
Palm leaf blunts and corn husk filters are also found to frequently fail for heavy metals, pesticides and microbial contamination. Harrison Bard, Rolling Stone, 1 Mar. 2024 The announcement came as a shock to fans of Snoop, a longtime kush enthusiast and ambassador of the herb who once claimed to smoke 81 blunts a day. Shania Russell, EW.com, 16 Nov. 2023 At Cal Expo, crowds maneuvered their way through the rows of booths Friday afternoon, sometimes stopping to take long drags from blunts or sample products. Barbara Harvey, Sacramento Bee, 21 Feb. 2024 As legal weed proliferates across the country, many storefronts have adopted a sterile, corporate aesthetic, while others lean into puerile graphics of, say, red-eyed Rick and Morty smoking blunts. Ezra Marcus, New York Times, 30 Jan. 2024 The chief, dark and bearded, pads up in faux-Gucci slippers smoking a blunt and apologizes that the pool is not filled; the water-delivery truck couldn’t get through. Jason Motlagh, Rolling Stone, 26 Nov. 2023 Images of Snoop with a blunt in his hand are ubiquitous on the internet. Antonio Planas, NBC News, 16 Nov. 2023 Sometime after her son shot his teacher, Taylor smoked two blunts, prosecutors added. CBS News, 15 Nov. 2023 Rapper Lil Twist, a new friend of Bieber’s, reportedly rolled the blunts with his brother. Vulture, 25 Aug. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'blunt.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English blont, of uncertain origin

Verb

Middle English blonten, verbal derivative of blont blunt entry 1

Noun

from blunt "a short, thick cigar," noun derivative of blunt entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3a

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Noun

1988, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of blunt was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near blunt

Cite this Entry

“Blunt.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/blunt. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

blunt

1 of 2 adjective
1
: slow or lacking in feeling or understanding
2
: having an edge or point that is not sharp
3
: abrupt in speech or manner
bluntly adverb
bluntness noun

blunt

2 of 2 verb
: to make or become less sharp

More from Merriam-Webster on blunt

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