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
The man’s body was taken to the county morgue, where the cause of death was determined to be homicide by blunt force trauma to the head. Jon Schuppe, NBC News, 23 Nov. 2023 His cause of death was listed as complications of multiple blunt force injuries and his death was listed as homicide. Stepheny Price, Fox News, 15 Nov. 2023 The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department said the cause of death for the teen, identified as Jonathan Lewis Jr., 17, was blunt force trauma Eight teenagers have been arrested on murder charges in connection with the fatal beating of a 17-year-old teen who died earlier this month. Kimberlee Speakman, Peoplemag, 15 Nov. 2023 Keith Lee has been known for his straightforward and blunt food reviews on TikTok — content that’s built him a following 14.5 million deep, and dozens of small business owners have credited him with saving their restaurants. Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 1 Nov. 2023 Strengthening Hamas Publicly, Mr. Netanyahu used blunt rhetoric about Hamas. Maria Abi-Habib, New York Times, 29 Oct. 2023 Schneider, who lived near the scene of the crash, died from multiple blunt force injuries, according to the medical examiner's office. Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 9 Nov. 2023 The Ventura County Medical Examiner’s Office said an autopsy determined Paul Kessler died as a result of a blunt force head injury and called the manner of death a homicide. Jeremy Childs, Los Angeles Times, 7 Nov. 2023 In blunt terms: That means that in addition to the temporary absence of workers, there is also a certain level of longer-term risk to these companies’ pool of talent. Michal Lev-Ram, Fortune, 1 Nov. 2023
Verb
The debate will obviously be very important, too, for DeSantis, to be able to try to blunt the momentum from Haley. Nbc Universal, NBC News, 5 Nov. 2023 After record-high inflation last year, the Federal Reserve has succeeded in blunting price increases in recent months. Julie Zauzmer Weil, Washington Post, 10 Nov. 2023 The idea is that these drugs seem to blunt the effects of the stress that can trigger these and many other psychiatric conditions. Sonya Collins, Fortune Well, 4 Nov. 2023 But without negotiation and compromise, Netanyahu’s government of religious conservatives and ultra-nationalists and Hamas’ terror attacks and fanaticism will blunt any hope of resolution. Jeffrey Fleishman, Los Angeles Times, 26 Oct. 2023 Pins are popular because the contact allows for faster charging — which can help blunt the pain of shorter-than-ideal battery life. Victoria Song, The Verge, 6 Oct. 2023 The strikes on Tuesday appeared to back up Ukraine's requests for the missiles, hitting bases that house Russian attack helicopters that have played an important role in blunting Ukraine's counteroffensive. Patrick Reevell, ABC News, 17 Oct. 2023 To blunt the AfD’s rise, Scholz’s government has to regain the trust of voters who perceive the three-party coalition as dysfunctional and ineffective. Liana Fix, Foreign Affairs, 10 Oct. 2023 Past rocket barrages by Hamas have been blunted in part by Israel’s missile defense system, known as the Iron Dome. Eric Schmitt, New York Times, 9 Oct. 2023
Noun
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 Che smoking a blunt at home alone while watching their own standup is kind of a mood. Emma Specter, Vogue, 17 Aug. 2023 Elsewhere in the video, Justin Bieber guest-stars as one of her other boyfriends, sharing a blunt in their bedroom and a moment on a tractor. Vulture, 25 Aug. 2023 Though the veteran no longer needs to offer blunts for recording time, he’s still maintained a metaphysical connection to that time and headspace. Steven Louis, Spin, 17 Aug. 2023 Smoke from blunts held in Glo’s superbly polished hands permeates the air on one side of the room; swigs of Taylor port wine are gulped between the sets displayed on the wide-screen TV propped up in the middle of the space. Nerisha Penrose, ELLE, 14 July 2023 When Method Man hung out with Nas and DMX this fall, the three rap stars drank Hennessy, smoked blunts, and shot a whole bunch of cops. Chris Norris, SPIN, 27 June 2023 See More

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 7 Dec. 2023.

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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