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
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
But many are now finding that geopolitics is blunting their ambitions.
—Joyce Jiang, CNN Money, 13 Sep. 2025
Other times, long rates resist or even rise, flattening the curve and blunting the Fed’s impact.
—Robert Daugherty, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025
While Sinner responded in the second set, highlighted by a backhand smash that ended a 19-shot rally and got the crowd behind him, albeit briefly, Alcaraz wasted no time blunting Sinner’s momentum in the third.
—Sean Gregory, Time, 7 Sep. 2025
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
But many are now finding that geopolitics is blunting their ambitions.
—Joyce Jiang, CNN Money, 13 Sep. 2025
Other times, long rates resist or even rise, flattening the curve and blunting the Fed’s impact.
—Robert Daugherty, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025
While Sinner responded in the second set, highlighted by a backhand smash that ended a 19-shot rally and got the crowd behind him, albeit briefly, Alcaraz wasted no time blunting Sinner’s momentum in the third.
—Sean Gregory, Time, 7 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for blunting
Verb
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The plant will focus on advanced packaging, which involves combining multiple memory chips into a single, high-density unit to improve performance and energy efficiency while reducing overall size.—
Dylan Butts,
CNBC,
13 Jan. 2026
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The team achieved a 20 percent reduction in turbine weight per megawatt compared to the industry average, assisting with installation while also reducing costs.—
Ameya Paleja,
Interesting Engineering,
13 Jan. 2026
Verb
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And Chinese exporters diverted flows through Southeast Asia and Mexico, dulling the effects of tariffs even as headline restrictions intensified.—
Dewardric L. McNeal,
CNBC,
31 Dec. 2025
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For deeper skin tones, Samo Spritzer offers a muted rosy mauve that sculpts without dulling the skin, while Feliz Fresca delivers high-impact pink pigment that stays saturated all day.—
Jailynn Taylor,
Allure,
26 Dec. 2025
Verb
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But while the statement is getting a lot of attention, the far bigger story in Ottawa is the team’s diminishing playoff odds.—
Sean McIndoe,
New York Times,
12 Jan. 2026
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The committee’s Democratic members savaged Rubio for diminishing America’s global role; the meeting grew so rancorous that Senator Jim Risch, a Republican from Idaho who was Rubio’s closest friend in the Senate, had to repeatedly bang his gavel to bring order.—
Dexter Filkins,
New Yorker,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Milk, butter and cheese prices on the wholesale market and at grocery stores have decreased slightly due to oversupply and weakening consumer demand.—
Cheryl V. Jackson,
IndyStar,
9 Jan. 2026
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This suggests consumers enter 2026 with continuing concerns over high prices and weakening labor market conditions.—
Phillip Molnar,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
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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
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Now, Sora 2 might just be another online fad, a reality-deadening distraction that people will soon tire of.—
Brian Stelter,
CNN Money,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
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That's just because the sugar, again, is dampening that effect.—
Bon Appétit,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
9 Jan. 2026
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Authorities planned to look into whether sound-dampening material on the ceiling conformed with regulations and whether the candles were permitted for use in the bar.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
3 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Blunting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blunting. Accessed 19 Jan. 2026.
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