as in honesty
the free expression of one's true feelings and opinions
the refreshing bluntness of the former president in assessing those who followed him in the Oval Office
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Recent Examples of bluntness
In films like that, the cultural commentary comes more from metaphor than with the bluntness and directness of The Purge.
—
Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 29 Sep. 2025
There’s been a bluntness all season to the Hermits’ chats that ordinarily might grate on me.
—Noel Murray, Vulture, 24 Sep. 2025
There’s a bluntness to GALE’s lyrics that makes her music refreshingly relatable.
—Tere Aguilera, Billboard, 12 Sep. 2025
The timing and bluntness of Musk’s statement ignited social platforms, as supporters and skeptics alike debated the possibility of corporate malfeasance or cover-up.
—Preston Fore, Fortune, 11 Sep. 2025
The statistics weren’t new, but her doctor’s bluntness was.
—Laura Trujillo, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2025
Of course, the only thing unique about Cluely’s sales pitch is its bluntness; plenty of other AI companies have been selling the same thing using more polite and socially acceptable language for years.
—Bryce Hoffman, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2025
Her negotiation style is disarming bluntness.
—Zach Helfand, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2025
Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 29 Sep. 2025
There’s been a bluntness all season to the Hermits’ chats that ordinarily might grate on me.
—Noel Murray, Vulture, 24 Sep. 2025
There’s a bluntness to GALE’s lyrics that makes her music refreshingly relatable.
—Tere Aguilera, Billboard, 12 Sep. 2025
The timing and bluntness of Musk’s statement ignited social platforms, as supporters and skeptics alike debated the possibility of corporate malfeasance or cover-up.
—Preston Fore, Fortune, 11 Sep. 2025
The statistics weren’t new, but her doctor’s bluntness was.
—Laura Trujillo, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2025
Of course, the only thing unique about Cluely’s sales pitch is its bluntness; plenty of other AI companies have been selling the same thing using more polite and socially acceptable language for years.
—Bryce Hoffman, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2025
Her negotiation style is disarming bluntness.
—Zach Helfand, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bluntness
Noun
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Some readers may bristle at her honesty, misread her motives, or choose to sit in judgment.—
Connie Etemadi,
USA Today,
26 Sep. 2025
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The film presents addiction and recovery with unflinching honesty, a stark departure from Johnson’s typically inspirational brand.—
Clayton Davis,
Variety,
26 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The earnestness and sincerity that characterized so much music from the late ’90s were overtaken by the sneering rage of nu metal.—
Sophie Gilbert,
The Atlantic,
30 Sep. 2025
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And yet, Lightfoot’s stubborn purity is surely why listeners recognize his sincerity in memorializing such a tragic event.—
John U. Bacon,
Rolling Stone,
30 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Collier, who was injured during the playoff series, read from a prepared statement that shocked everyone watching—if not for its contents, for its frankness.—
Emma Hinchliffe,
Fortune,
1 Oct. 2025
-
Though Roan is a total force on stage, polished and magnetic while trouncing around a set made to look like an illustrated fairytale castle, the show is not without her signature frankness.—
Hannah Dailey,
Billboard,
21 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The researchers' findings show how recent AI models default to Western-style directness, completely missing the cultural cues that govern everyday interactions for millions of Persian speakers worldwide.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
23 Sep. 2025
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But what makes the Kimmel affair different, and much more chilling, than the dismissal of Colbert is the directness and obviousness of the federal government’s interference.—
Jason Bailey,
Mercury News,
20 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
For parents, the name of the game is forthrightness.—
Nona Han,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
20 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Passions run as high as style, and candor and fervor blend with humor, to endow anecdotes and reflections with pride and purpose along with mourning and indignation.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
23 Sep. 2025
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Many love to have the carefree candor of the vox populi intrude in celebrity circles where prohibitive media training and wellness blather pass for personality.—
Craig Jenkins,
Vulture,
22 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Her question, in Lipe-Smith’s inquisitive piccolo of a voice, is heartbreaking in its blend of straightforwardness and desperate desire, as is her mother’s wavering response.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
1 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Kirk's outspokenness helped dissuade those fears.—
Alex J. Rouhandeh,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Sep. 2025
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While the rise of GLP-1s brings a myriad of valid concerns − such as its contribution to disordered eating and promotion of thinness as the ideal body type − Williams' outspokenness is a crucial, balanced example of healthy and transparent GLP-1 usage.—
Alyssa Goldberg,
USA Today,
21 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bluntness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bluntness. Accessed 2 Oct. 2025.
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