BLUNTING Synonyms: 48 Similar and Opposite Words

blunting

verb

present participle of blunt

as in reducing

to reduce or weaken in strength or feeling the mushy music blunted the effect of the movie's final tragic scene

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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 blunting In theory, the clearinghouse would monitor the speed of AI growth without blunting the nation’s competitive advantage. — John Caruso, Hartford Courant, 14 Oct. 2026 The law is aimed at blunting financial scams that often target older adults, which frequently include prompting victims to withdraw large sums of money at once. — Seth Klamann, Denver Post, 12 Aug. 2026 Semaglutide can hook into this system, blunting the usual pleasure from eating high-fat and sugary treats. — Jesse Pines, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026 Greg Jaffe and Kate Kelly Politicians and officials in Mexico are using the country’s laws to intimidate critics and the media, forcing them into censorship and blunting scrutiny. — Kate Kelly Vincent Alban Paulina Villegas Kurt Streeter, New York Times, 21 June 2026 The body adapts to the daily dose, blunting caffeine’s impact on blood pressure, mental alertness and exercise performance. — Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 13 June 2026 Quality drops around menstruation as estrogen and progesterone fall, blunting melatonin and cortisol rhythms. — Allison Palmer updated June 13, Sacbee.com, 13 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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for blunting

Verb

The new councilmember will face pressure to increase revenue and cut costs without reducing access to city services or compromising their quality.

— Daniel Lempres, Sacbee.com, 4 Nov. 2026
The legislation would give the Commodity Futures Trading Commission greater authority over cryptocurrency trading while reducing the Securities and Exchange Commission's role in overseeing certain digital assets.

— Mike Winters, CNBC, 4 Nov. 2026

Definition of reducing

Verb

Extreme weather events, such as drought or heavy rainfall, also stress trees and can trigger them to rapidly protect themselves by more rapidly pulling in the chlorophyll from their leaves, dulling fall colors.

— Mary Randolph, Scientific American, 14 Oct. 2026
Eyesafe technology cuts blue light without dulling the color, which is easier on your eyes during long work days.

— Andrew J. Hawkins, The Verge, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of dulling

Verb

Kikuchi makes Haru’s occasionally mortifying romantic pursuit both funny and affecting, embracing the character’s impulsive, sometimes ridiculous behavior without diminishing the depth of her loss.

— Lisa Wong Macabasco, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2026
The good news is that its strongest winds and heaviest rain will remain over the Atlantic, with impacts along our coastline gradually diminishing.

— Kate Bilo, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of diminishing

Verb

Inside the cabin, extensive additional sound deadening in the doors, trunk and wheel arches means phone calls and passenger conversations are entirely effortless at highway speeds.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 2 Oct. 2026
Each presents a group portrait of a handful of disaffected British suburbanites—husbands who resent their deadening jobs, toddlers who whine and interrupt, and, above all, hassled wives subsumed by a crush of household obligations.

— Becca Rothfeld, New Yorker, 16 Aug. 2026

Definition of deadening

Verb

Chris Costagli, a vice president and food thought leader at NielsenIQ, said high gas prices have worsened Americans’ concerns about affordability, and that's dampening demand for Halloween treats.

— ABC News, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026
An improved suspension helped, as did the additional sound dampening made possible by its unified construction.

— Robb Report, Robb Report, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of dampening

Browse Nearby Words

blunted

blunting

bluntly

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Blunting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blunting. Accessed 5 Nov. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of blunting

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

effrontery

Popular in Grammar & Usage

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

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

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

Popular in Wordplay

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Old-Timey Vehicles

The Words of the Week - Nov. 6

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes