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
The launches underscored continuing tensions between the Koreas, blunting South Korean hopes for warmer relations.
—
CNN Money, 9 Apr. 2026
That one-time money would be earmarked under the legislation for blunting some of the cuts to Medicaid providers, housing and education that lawmakers are now considering.
—Nick Coltrain, Denver Post, 7 Apr. 2026
This means many of his supporters already have mortgages with low rates or own their homes outright, possibly blunting the importance of housing as an issue.
—Arkansas Online, 9 Feb. 2026
But earlier this week, a bipartisan group of senators worked to strike a compromise that could resurrect the enhanced ACA premium tax credits — potentially blunting the blow of rising monthly payments for Obamacare enrollees.
—Luke Garrett, NPR, 1 Jan. 2026
The shortfall stems from rising costs for the memory chips that go into computers, a jump which is blunting the benefits of a sales cycle for PCs.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 26 Nov. 2025
San Diego City Councilmember Stephen Whitburn, who sits on the water authority’s board of directors, asked officials to gather more options for blunting the impact of rate hikes.
—Lucas Robinson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Oct. 2025
Many shutdowns have largely played out over the weekend, blunting the impact, according to the CRFB.
—Greg Iacurci, CNBC, 30 Sep. 2025
That action led the court, which has a 6-3 conservative majority, to issue a landmark ruling in June blunting the power of judges.
—Sarah D. Wire, USA Today, 27 Sep. 2025
CNN Money, 9 Apr. 2026
That one-time money would be earmarked under the legislation for blunting some of the cuts to Medicaid providers, housing and education that lawmakers are now considering.
—Nick Coltrain, Denver Post, 7 Apr. 2026
This means many of his supporters already have mortgages with low rates or own their homes outright, possibly blunting the importance of housing as an issue.
—Arkansas Online, 9 Feb. 2026
But earlier this week, a bipartisan group of senators worked to strike a compromise that could resurrect the enhanced ACA premium tax credits — potentially blunting the blow of rising monthly payments for Obamacare enrollees.
—Luke Garrett, NPR, 1 Jan. 2026
The shortfall stems from rising costs for the memory chips that go into computers, a jump which is blunting the benefits of a sales cycle for PCs.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 26 Nov. 2025
San Diego City Councilmember Stephen Whitburn, who sits on the water authority’s board of directors, asked officials to gather more options for blunting the impact of rate hikes.
—Lucas Robinson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Oct. 2025
Many shutdowns have largely played out over the weekend, blunting the impact, according to the CRFB.
—Greg Iacurci, CNBC, 30 Sep. 2025
That action led the court, which has a 6-3 conservative majority, to issue a landmark ruling in June blunting the power of judges.
—Sarah D. Wire, USA Today, 27 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for blunting
Verb
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The station initially bridged the sudden budget gap last year by reaching out to donors directly and reducing costs to bring down overhead.—
Savannah Sicurella,
AJC.com,
11 Apr. 2026
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The ship suffered substantial damage, and the Reagan administration retaliated by damaging or sinking three Iranian warships and three oil platforms, drastically reducing Tehran’s ability to engage in the gulf.—
Dalia Abdelwahab,
CNN Money,
11 Apr. 2026
Verb
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At Source puts seven years of joint practice and mutual magnetism to tape without dulling the dynamic buzz of their live sets.—
Hattie Lindert,
Pitchfork,
2 Mar. 2026
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Also, don't store beans or ground coffee in the refrigerator—the coffee may absorb moisture and odors, dulling its flavor.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Our diminishing water resources are being directed toward expanding cities.—
DP Opinion,
Denver Post,
10 Apr. 2026
-
The state officials, all Democrats, claimed the massive merger would give Nexstar too much control over local TV stations, ultimately hurting consumers by diminishing the diversity and quality of their newscasts.—
Meg James,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
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However, the brand has seen month-on-month declines in sales since September 2025, pointing to weakening momentum in its core NEV lineup.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
12 Apr. 2026
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However, some Democrats warn against weakening their candidates when facing a Republican Party that’s flush with cash.—
Leah Askarinam,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Another suggestion was requiring special sound-deadening balls, currently available, that lower the decibel levels considerably.—
John Ramos,
CBS News,
16 Mar. 2026
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Both nationally and in Minnesota , there has been a shift away from intelligent discussion of public policy to endless partisan warfare with a deadening impact on the public.—
Arne Carlson,
Twin Cities,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Build budgets that defend your savings without dampening your enthusiasm.—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
3 Apr. 2026
-
In addition to adding decorative flair to windows and doors, these multipurpose window treatments promote privacy and block light, with many designs offering temperature-regulating and sound-dampening qualities to boot.—
Nashia Baker,
Architectural Digest,
31 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Blunting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blunting. Accessed 19 Apr. 2026.
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