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

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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 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 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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for blunting

Verb

Drought conditions are also fueling devastating, costly wildfires and reducing crop yields, threatening to push up food prices.

— Hanna Ziady, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026
Reportedly this approach could boost reliability by reducing the number of mechanical components.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of reducing

Verb

To protect himself, however, Trask has created an inhibitor field that de-powers any mutant nearby, dulling Wolverine’s healing power and ferocity.

— Jordan Moreau, Variety, 13 Aug. 2026
Here are the cleaning mistakes that could be dulling your hardwood floors’ shine, as well as the simple fixes to restore their finish.

— Martha Stewart, Martha Stewart, 8 Aug. 2026

Definition of dulling

Verb

Similar ads run the risk of diminishing the ownership experience for some BMW buyers and reduce their sense of control over the driving experience.

— Charles Singh, USA Today, 7 Aug. 2026
The pollution is expected to drift into the Bay Area, stealthily diminishing air quality without the signature campfire smell associated with wildfire smoke, according to Anthony Edwards, the San Francisco Chronicle’s newsroom meteorologist.

— Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 6 Aug. 2026

Definition of diminishing

Verb

Sansoni’s study suggests that years of scrolling on Instagram can weaken our ability to rely on these inner signals, essentially weakening our brain’s ability to accurately perceive its own face and body.

— Nicole Karlis, Allure, 14 Aug. 2026
The danger Pelath is concerned about is when the river banks are saturated, some root systems let go, sending more trees into the river and weakening the banks.

— Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 13 Aug. 2026

Definition of weakening

Verb

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

Definition of deadening

Verb

Washington — The world’s largest economy lost steam heading into summer as red-hot demand for AI infrastructure widened the trade deficit, dampening growth.

— Bryan Mena, CNN Money, 30 July 2026
This vinegar typically gets better with age, so there’s no need to worry about an expiration date dampening your culinary plans.

— Jill Schildhouse, Southern Living, 25 July 2026

Definition of dampening

Browse Nearby Words

blunted

blunting

bluntly

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“Blunting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blunting. Accessed 15 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of blunting

verb

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