blunted 1 of 2

adjective

as in blunt
lacking sharpness of edge or point the blunted saw was worthless for fine woodworking

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

blunted

2 of 2

verb

past tense of blunt
as in reduced
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

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.
Recent Examples of blunted
Adjective
The results have been impressive enough from far away, but examined more closely as a blunted, external force, Big Brother has almost always been too literal in horror cinema. — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 4 May 2026 Orientation matters; garlic is planted vertically, with the root (blunted) end of the clove facing down, and the sprout (pointy) end facing up. — Samantha Johnson, Martha Stewart, 3 Mar. 2026 Flat, calm but earnest, mildly anxious, blunted, volatile. — Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 27 Jan. 2026
Verb
Exports flowing from Saudi ports have blunted some of the impact of the Strait of Hormuz closure. — Fatma Khaled, Chicago Tribune, 8 Aug. 2026 Weary of seeing people pick their teeth with daggers, Cardinal Richelieu has knives blunted in royal France. — New York Times, 17 July 2026 Decades of declining violent crime have further blunted the public appetite for executions. — Pamela Colloff, ProPublica, 30 June 2026 The White House’s Iran negotiations rely on the dollar’s leverage, but Tehran has blunted that weapon by using alternative financial architecture, The Wall Street Journal reported, including payments in yuan or cryptocurrency, and adopting a Chinese alternative to the Swift banking network. — Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 24 June 2026 No air-conditioning, no insulation, its charm blunted by DIY additions, discount drywall, generations of putty and steel wool stuffed into varmint tunnels. — Literary Hub, 22 June 2026 But a series of recent court rulings has blunted Democratic momentum in the redistricting arms race. — Lucas Robinson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 May 2026 That hasn’t happened as massive releases from oil reserves blunted the impact. — Jason Ma, Fortune, 30 May 2026 Any momentum Porter might have had was blunted by the videos, and she’s been held back ever since. — Matt Fleming, Oc Register, 27 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for blunted
  1. blunt
  2. reduced
  3. dulled
  4. diminished
  5. weakened
  6. subsided
  7. dampened
  8. decreased
Adjective
  • Prosecutors said Thursday that investigators encountered evidence of a violent physical struggle inside the home and that preliminary evidence indicated both victims suffered blunt-force trauma.
    — Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 17 Aug. 2026
  • As to whether a renovation like the one proposed at 705 Woodruff Place was in alignment with the city’s UDO, Peugh was blunt.
    — Diamy Wang August 15, Charlotte Observer, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of blunt
Verb
  • That tariff rate was later reduced to 15% when the two sides agreed on a trade deal, but uncertainty remains about the stability of that agreement and how imports of certain European goods, such as steel, will be taxed by Washington.
    — Chloe Taylor, CNBC, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Traffic on the critical waterway, through which one-fifth of global crude oil typically flows, has reduced to a trickle since the war started in February.
    — Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of reduced
Verb
  • Decades of scrolling have dulled our senses somewhat; this is inevitable.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Note that the texture may be slightly less crisp, and the flavor a little dulled once soft spots begin to develop.
    — Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of dulled
Verb
  • The influence and interest of the United States in the islands must be increased and not diminished.
    — Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Then, there is the rise of China, which has shifted Washington’s strategic focus away from Europe and diminished NATO’s centrality to American concerns.
    — Ian Buruma, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of diminished
Verb
  • The ultimate effect of Fedorov appeal to everyone’s better angels, is that Zelensky is weakened, the questions of his electoral legitimacy amplified, and the call for an end to the war bolstered.
    — Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Positions have hardened, trust has weakened and the room for quiet resolution has narrowed.
    — Sean Pattwell, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of weakened
Verb
  • Washington and Tehran agreed in June to a 60-day ceasefire, allowing time to negotiate a more durable peace deal while active fighting subsided and the Strait of Hormuz could be reopened.
    — Hanna Ziady, CNN Money, 18 Aug. 2026
  • The changes appeared shortly after astronauts entered space and largely subsided within days of their return to Earth, providing biochemical evidence that digestion slows in space.
    — Samantha Mathewson, Space.com, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of subsided
Verb
  • Meanwhile, a weaker-than-expected jobs report has dampened the argument for rate hikes in September.
    — John Towfighi, CNN Money, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Tehran’s statement dampened hopes that a deal with Oman could provide a route for commercial shipping sooner than the US and Iran could reach their own agreement.
    — Brendan Ruberry, semafor.com, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of dampened
Verb
  • While gasoline demand has decreased, AAA says, citing data from the Energy Information Administration, supply and production also decreased.
    — Paula Wethington, CBS News, 17 Aug. 2026
  • But while demand for the nifty two-seater has substantially decreased, the CX-5 has thrived.
    — James Raia, Mercury News, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of decreased

Browse Nearby Words

blunt
blunted
blunting
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Blunted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blunted. Accessed 20 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on blunted

Nglish: Translation of blunted for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of divulge

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

Is “GIF” Pronounced “Jiff” or “Giff”?

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
image of a green cube out of place in a lineup of red spheres
Odd Word Out: Synonyms Vol. 2 Quiz Figure out which word isn't like the others.
See All