as in reducing
to reduce or weaken in strength or feeling
the mushy music blunted the effect of the movie's final tragic scene
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Recent Examples of blunting
Quality drops around menstruation as estrogen and progesterone fall, blunting melatonin and cortisol rhythms.
—
Allison Palmer
june 8, Sacbee.com, 8 June 2026
Simple steps like version pinning or requiring a cool-down period before new library releases are available to developers can go a very long way toward blunting the supply chain attacks that are about to become far more common.
—Philip Martin, Fortune, 29 May 2026
South Africa’s central bank raised its benchmark interest rate for the first time in three years, in effect blunting a $1 billion fuel relief package designed to soften the blow of surging oil prices.
—Tiisetso Motsoeneng, semafor.com, 29 May 2026
But Ukraine claims that a new generation of interceptors is blunting the impact of Russian attacks on its cities.
—Sebastian Shukla, CNN Money, 23 May 2026
In certain people, the submandibular glands—as well as the adjacent fat pockets and digastric muscles (which aid in swallowing, chewing, and speech)—can give a look of fullness, blunting the border between the face and neck.
—Jolene Edgar, Allure, 14 May 2026
Even some small relief at the pump could give Trump the chance to claim credit for acting aggressively to lower prices —potentially blunting a key Democratic argument against him.
—Nik Popli, Time, 12 May 2026
But Death Stranding 2 had already been available for over a year on the PlayStation 5 when that leak happened, somewhat blunting its overall impact.
—Kyle Orland, ArsTechnica, 11 May 2026
Preclinical research shows long-term estrogen deprivation epigenetically silences BDNF in the hippocampus, blunting the brain’s response to exercise over time.
—Torie Bosch, STAT, 2 May 2026
Allison Palmer
june 8, Sacbee.com, 8 June 2026
Simple steps like version pinning or requiring a cool-down period before new library releases are available to developers can go a very long way toward blunting the supply chain attacks that are about to become far more common.
—Philip Martin, Fortune, 29 May 2026
South Africa’s central bank raised its benchmark interest rate for the first time in three years, in effect blunting a $1 billion fuel relief package designed to soften the blow of surging oil prices.
—Tiisetso Motsoeneng, semafor.com, 29 May 2026
But Ukraine claims that a new generation of interceptors is blunting the impact of Russian attacks on its cities.
—Sebastian Shukla, CNN Money, 23 May 2026
In certain people, the submandibular glands—as well as the adjacent fat pockets and digastric muscles (which aid in swallowing, chewing, and speech)—can give a look of fullness, blunting the border between the face and neck.
—Jolene Edgar, Allure, 14 May 2026
Even some small relief at the pump could give Trump the chance to claim credit for acting aggressively to lower prices —potentially blunting a key Democratic argument against him.
—Nik Popli, Time, 12 May 2026
But Death Stranding 2 had already been available for over a year on the PlayStation 5 when that leak happened, somewhat blunting its overall impact.
—Kyle Orland, ArsTechnica, 11 May 2026
Preclinical research shows long-term estrogen deprivation epigenetically silences BDNF in the hippocampus, blunting the brain’s response to exercise over time.
—Torie Bosch, STAT, 2 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for blunting
Verb
-
This battery system will enable up to 12 hours of silent scientific operations powered entirely by batteries, reducing both emissions and underwater noise that can interfere with sensitive marine research.—
Dea Jusufi,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2026
-
According to the researchers, the catalyst weakens excessive bonding between iron sites and hydroxyl intermediates, allowing the reaction to proceed more smoothly and reducing one of the major bottlenecks in zinc-air battery operation.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
13 June 2026
Verb
-
At some point, the bracket creep is going to overreach into the point of diminishing marginal returns — dulling regular seasons and perhaps ultimately even eventually interest in the postseasons.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
24 May 2026
-
Glycolic acid removes dead, dulling surface cells to reveal more radiant skin and help vitamin C penetrate skin more effectively.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
19 May 2026
Verb
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The delay also would push the removal into the middle of the night, diminishing the audience watching the event in person or on TV.—
Ted Johnson,
Deadline,
12 June 2026
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Once the scene resurfaced online some ten years later, internet users leveraged the phrase as a way to distinguish those who were musically superior (who had the range) and those who were not, diminishing them regardless of their popularity.—
Dr. Marcus Collins,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
Verb
-
Yet the extremist group has mobilized its members and media outlets to ramp up criticism of the agreement, heaping pressure on Iranian negotiators who have been attempting to extract concessions from a US administration intent on weakening – and possibly ending – the Islamic Republic.—
Tim Lister,
CNN Money,
14 June 2026
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After reaching record levels in the 1990s and 2000s, deforestation declined until the 2019-2022 term of then President Jair Bolsonaro, whose government was widely criticized for weakening environmental protections.—
Gabriela Sa Pessoa,
Fortune,
12 June 2026
Verb
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Sam Lambert laid down a safety squeeze, deadening the ball in front of the plate and scoring Balls to trim the lead to 3-1.—
Dave Montrose,
The Orlando Sentinel,
16 May 2026
-
Another suggestion was requiring special sound-deadening balls, currently available, that lower the decibel levels considerably.—
John Ramos,
CBS News,
16 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The survey snapped three consecutive months of dampening consumer sentiment, recovering from an all-time low in May, data showed.—
Max Zahn,
ABC News,
12 June 2026
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An inner cover allows moisture to condense without dampening the hive, and an outer cover protects the colony from inclement weather.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Blunting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blunting. Accessed 15 Jun. 2026.
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