1
as in abrupt
being or characterized by direct, brief, and potentially rude speech or manner
he values honesty and is quite blunt about telling people what he doesn't like about them
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in blunted
lacking sharpness of edge or point
a blunt knife won't open that package
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to dull
to reduce or weaken in strength or feeling
the mushy music blunted the effect of the movie's final tragic scene
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of blunt
Kate Wolffe, Sacbee.com, 29 Jan. 2026
Its president, Wolfson, is blunt in characterizing the settlements.
—Bill Chappell, NPR, 29 Jan. 2026
Ryan Mancini, The Hill, 14 Jan. 2026
Fasting can blunt performance, particularly during explosive or high-volume workouts, Lucas warned.
—Jillian Kubala, Health, 8 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for blunt
Adjective
Bonta is blunt about how constrained the state will be.
—Kate Wolffe, Sacbee.com, 29 Jan. 2026
Its president, Wolfson, is blunt in characterizing the settlements.
—Bill Chappell, NPR, 29 Jan. 2026
Verb
Susan Del Percio, a veteran Republican strategist, warned those efforts could blunt a 2018-style blue wave, in an election typically seen a referendum on the president.
—Ryan Mancini, The Hill, 14 Jan. 2026
Fasting can blunt performance, particularly during explosive or high-volume workouts, Lucas warned.
—Jillian Kubala, Health, 8 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for blunt
Recent Examples of Synonyms for blunt
Adjective
-
But for the first decade of his career Jones was among the most dominant center fielders baseball had ever seen, and as time went on more voters opted to reward that greatness rather than punish him for his abrupt decline.—
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
25 Jan. 2026
-
Deputy District Attorney Scott Pirrello told jurors that Bushey had a history of acting hostile toward family members and that his sister’s abrupt presence in the home set him off, leading him to act out and her to fear for her safety.—
City News Service,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
24 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Older workers face forced plateaus as organizations hesitate to invest in workers over 50, assuming their time is limited, minds are dulling, and retirement is imminent.—
Dan Pontefract,
Forbes.com,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Protein shakes are an easy way to bridge the gap between mealtimes without dulling your appetite.—
Jillian Kubala,
Health,
28 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
In the mix, too, are the many shorter and more personal expressions around the event.—
John Werner,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Instead, it’s funneled into systems that are long on slogans and short on accountability.—
Jennifer Nassour,
Boston Herald,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
This comes at a time when there has been talk of reducing the number of PGA tournaments on the calendar.—
Kirk Kenney,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
27 Jan. 2026
-
The cross-border clearing platform could streamline operations, reducing risks in OTC trades that dominate the market.—
Sean Lee,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Approved by The Boss himself, the live-music and storytelling show finds Azaria slipping into his best Springsteen guise for a night of gruff tales and greatest hits.—
John Wenzel,
Denver Post,
24 Dec. 2025
-
The gory skit ends with the gruff older man rushing through the door to announce he’s made amends with his son, only to have his head sliced off by the flying chainsaw.—
Mitchell Peters,
Billboard,
21 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Emotional numbing symptoms, in particular, are known to intensify this pattern of reacting sharply to negative stimuli and then shutting down emotionally.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
20 Jan. 2026
-
This is the type of consistency that numbs fans from their love of the game.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
But on third down at the 28, Jaquan Brisker broke up a pass in the end zone as time expired, setting off a wild celebration — and a curt handshake between Johnson and Packers coach Matt LaFleur.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
11 Jan. 2026
-
Jaquan Brisker deflected the ball, setting off a wild celebration — and a curt handshake between Johnson and Packers coach Matt LaFleur.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Waldo’s digital shopping cart — and McCurdy’s brusque descriptions of her late-night binges — highlight the gaping, cavernous maw of her wants.—
CT Jones,
Rolling Stone,
20 Jan. 2026
-
Farrell, by contrast, plays a brusque, dim henchman named Alec, who’s there mostly to look tough and briefly talk about Star Wars.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
30 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Blunt.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blunt. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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