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
And yet behind the bluster has been a growing recognition within the West Wing that the situation may be slipping out of its control.
—Eric Cortellessa, Time, 2 Apr. 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
And yet behind the bluster has been a growing recognition within the West Wing that the situation may be slipping out of its control.
—Eric Cortellessa, Time, 2 Apr. 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
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Vucic, government officials and the pro-government media have branded critics as foreign agents who wish to destroy the country — rhetoric that has ramped up political polarization.—
Jovana Gec,
Los Angeles Times,
24 May 2026
-
The reality on the ground does not match the rhetoric.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
23 May 2026
Noun
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This meant the Notts players couldn’t fail to hear the huge roar that would inevitably greet the Bradford team when walking out of the tunnel for the first time.—
Richard Sutcliffe,
New York Times,
23 May 2026
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Libraries are typically quiet spaces, but this month, inside Baltimore County Library Branches, the loud roar of drums fills the air.—
Mary Eber,
CBS News,
20 May 2026
Noun
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Those seated in the gunner or engineer positions will also be treated to additional clips of Grogu via their adjacent flight panels, the young alien here portrayed as something of a playful pet of a child who is exaggeratedly chill during the commotion.—
Todd Martens,
Los Angeles Times,
21 May 2026
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Someone would start a cheer, others would join in, and the commotion would attract a new wave of attention, phones open to streaming apps, the entire scene straddling the line between performance and audience.—
Hannah Keyser,
CNN Money,
20 May 2026
Verb
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Difluoroethane is a gas often used in cans of compressed air, which can be huffed to produce a high, while alprazolam is the generic form of brand-name Xanax.—
Charlotte Phillipp,
PEOPLE,
14 May 2026
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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
Noun
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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
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Anne Hathaway is finally cutting through the noise surrounding the internet’s latest plastic surgery obsession.—
Stephanie Giang-Paunon,
FOXNews.com,
23 May 2026
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Lago said city officials required more detailed operational and safety plans to address noise and residents before approving the large gatherings.—
Ivan Taylor,
CBS News,
23 May 2026
Noun
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This misalignment, sustained over years, is associated with elevated risk for depression, metabolic disturbance and impaired cognition.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
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Though signals may overlap (compaction, moisture, and disturbance, after all, can exist all at once), the presence of particular weeds, without overanalyzing them, can lend helpful clues to what your desirable garden plants need done in order to thrive.—
Anthony Reardon,
Kansas City Star,
18 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
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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 25 May. 2026.
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