1
as in rhetoric
boastful speech or writing
all the bluster in the campaign speech was intended to hide a lack of specifics
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in roar
loud, confused, and usually inharmonious sound
I can't work with all the bluster in here
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in commotion
a state of noisy, confused activity
a mayor who got things done without a lot of bluster and self-serving publicity
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to huff
to talk loudly and wildly
the rude customer blustered and yelled threats about lawsuits, but eventually left
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of bluster
David Remnick, New Yorker, 10 Apr. 2026
Rather than bluster and braggadocio, the Department of Defense needs a well-conceived and thoughtfully presented multiyear program to build a military fit for large-scale and sustained war.
—Eliot A. Cohen, The Atlantic, 25 Mar. 2026
Andrew Latham, The Conversation, 26 Jan. 2026
The administration also has ordered a massive military buildup in the Caribbean and blustered about regime change given the nation’s awful socialist leader.
—The Editorial Board, Oc Register, 21 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bluster
Noun
His preposterous bluster about Greenland, Cuba, and NATO has undermined the postwar alliance.
—David Remnick, New Yorker, 10 Apr. 2026
Rather than bluster and braggadocio, the Department of Defense needs a well-conceived and thoughtfully presented multiyear program to build a military fit for large-scale and sustained war.
—Eliot A. Cohen, The Atlantic, 25 Mar. 2026
Verb
Trump has blustered, contradicted himself publicly, ramped-up rhetorically and then backed down, mostly without receiving obvious concessions.
—Andrew Latham, The Conversation, 26 Jan. 2026
The administration also has ordered a massive military buildup in the Caribbean and blustered about regime change given the nation’s awful socialist leader.
—The Editorial Board, Oc Register, 21 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bluster
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bluster
Noun
-
Stop listening to the rhetoric coming from the government.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
16 May 2026
-
Musk’s attorney pressed him on the discrepancy between mission rhetoric and personal enrichment.—
Anisha Sircar,
Forbes.com,
16 May 2026
Noun
-
Schwarber walked, and Harper followed with his 11th homer of the season, a monster shot that made the significant chunk of the PNC Park crowd who made the five-hour drive across the state roar with approval.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
16 May 2026
-
Lee slid in safely with a head-first slide to tie the game at two apiece, letting out a cathartic roar towards his dugout from his knees.—
Justice delos Santos,
Mercury News,
15 May 2026
Noun
-
The incident wasn’t the first time Nixon caused a commotion on the House floor over redistricting.—
Gray Rohrer,
Miami Herald,
14 May 2026
-
The employees will either be able to reach out to the culprit to quiet things down, or could transfer you to another room if the commotion doesn’t quit.—
Karla Walsh,
Southern Living,
12 May 2026
Verb
-
Meanwhile, Spurs, under their third manager of the season, were huffing and puffing in their attempts to blow Wolves’ defence down.—
Matt Slater,
New York Times,
26 Apr. 2026
-
Washington’s Copium But the White House is huffing its own brand of copium.—
Newsweek Editors,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The documentary’s contradiction is right there, enthralling us with the wild achievements Potter pulled off and frustrating us with his bombast, leading us to ponder whether, as The Dark Wizard suggests, either could exist without the other.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
7 May 2026
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Brian Gibson’s gangrenous bass riffs and gibbering, muffled vocals have even more gonzo energy than usual, while Chippendale mixes bombast and finesse with his customary flair.—
Reed Jackson,
SPIN,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Thousands of fans were outside the Bell Centre watching the game, and the 20,962 fans filled the arena with ear-splitting noise before puck drop.—
Matthew Fairburn,
New York Times,
17 May 2026
-
Write it down, step back from noise, and let the truth settle.—
Tarot.com,
Chicago Tribune,
17 May 2026
Noun
-
Increasing heat and humidity could spark showers and storms Friday morning, but a better chance for more widespread storms arrives Friday night into Saturday as a stronger disturbance moves in, according to the weather service.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
11 May 2026
-
Avoid spring pruning to let blooms fully develop and prevent unnecessary disturbance to the tree.—
Gemma Johnstone,
The Spruce,
11 May 2026
Noun
-
This is another stride of lyricism, philosophy, I’m-the-best braggadocio, bravado.—
New York Times,
New York Times,
28 Apr. 2026
-
But for everything Gates said that might appeal to a frustrated Democrat like me, his Huntington Beach braggadocio continually won out.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bluster.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bluster. Accessed 18 May. 2026.
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