blunt instrument
noun
: an object without sharp edges or points that is used as a club
He was hit over the head with a blunt instrument.
Examples of blunt instrument in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
That would only win half the battle, since everyone is affected by addictive design patterns, and the DFA represents a surgical approach that complements the blunt instrument of blanket bans.
—
Parmy Olson, Mercury News, 25 Apr. 2026
Today’s pick-one ballot is a blunt instrument.
—Patrick Hanley, Chicago Tribune, 25 Mar. 2026
But Shaw’s ability to be both the blunt instrument of City’s execution and so often their connective tissue is second to none.
—Megan Feringa, New York Times, 22 Mar. 2026
But time alone is a blunt instrument.
—Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026
Courts can police the most egregious abuses, but litigation is a blunt instrument.
—Mark Desjardine, Fortune, 8 Jan. 2026
The Fed’s main tool — its key interest rates, which influences borrowing costs across the economy — is widely known as a blunt instrument.
—Bryan Mena, CNN Money, 27 Dec. 2025
Where other, more conventional pest control companies still employ general, broad-spectrum spraying as a blunt instrument, Axiom relies on precision, science, and innovation to target its efforts directly at the sources of pest infestations, while remaining conscious of the wider environment.
—Malana Vantyler, USA Today, 6 Nov. 2025
For decades, chemotherapy was the blunt instrument of breast cancer care—effective, but often at the expense of a patient’s overall well-being.
—Lauryn Higgins, Flow Space, 21 Oct. 2025
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Parmy Olson, Mercury News, 25 Apr. 2026
Today’s pick-one ballot is a blunt instrument.
—Patrick Hanley, Chicago Tribune, 25 Mar. 2026
But Shaw’s ability to be both the blunt instrument of City’s execution and so often their connective tissue is second to none.
—Megan Feringa, New York Times, 22 Mar. 2026
But time alone is a blunt instrument.
—Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026
Courts can police the most egregious abuses, but litigation is a blunt instrument.
—Mark Desjardine, Fortune, 8 Jan. 2026
The Fed’s main tool — its key interest rates, which influences borrowing costs across the economy — is widely known as a blunt instrument.
—Bryan Mena, CNN Money, 27 Dec. 2025
Where other, more conventional pest control companies still employ general, broad-spectrum spraying as a blunt instrument, Axiom relies on precision, science, and innovation to target its efforts directly at the sources of pest infestations, while remaining conscious of the wider environment.
—Malana Vantyler, USA Today, 6 Nov. 2025
For decades, chemotherapy was the blunt instrument of breast cancer care—effective, but often at the expense of a patient’s overall well-being.
—Lauryn Higgins, Flow Space, 21 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Blunt instrument.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/blunt%20instrument. Accessed 30 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
