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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Time, 23 May 2026
For all of its bluster about Trainium and Graviton, Amazon is buying one million chips by the end of 2027.
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 3 May 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
The economic reality is that, despite Putin’s tough guy bluster and despite higher oil and gas prices as well as the unwise relaxation of energy sanctions on Russia, Putin’s house of cards is still more vulnerable than many realize.
—Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Time, 23 May 2026
For all of its bluster about Trainium and Graviton, Amazon is buying one million chips by the end of 2027.
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 3 May 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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Despite rhetoric, 'financial gravity' still drives most firms toward short-term gains, as the Business Roundtable's actions showed.—
Steve Denning,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2026
-
This era of social media and national political rhetoric accentuate everyday differences.—
Sam McDowell,
Kansas City Star,
19 June 2026
Noun
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Gratitude on a stage has rarely seemed more palpable than in Williams basking in the glow of the arena roar; here is someone who, in the spirit of Dylan and the actual words of Doe, has been beyond and back.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
21 June 2026
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Video taken from Vestavia Hills, a community in central Alabama, showed brown floodwater inundating local streets amid the roar of rain.—
Denise Chow,
NBC news,
20 June 2026
Noun
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By this time, multiple police officers had arrived on the scene, according to a convenience store clerk who witnessed the commotion outside.—
Hannah McIlree,
CBS News,
19 June 2026
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Seeing the commotion, Louis and Paul came galloping back.—
Dolores Brown,
Outdoor Life,
17 June 2026
Verb
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Lee began huffing gasoline at seven years old, court documents stated.—
Nina Giraldo,
CNN Money,
9 June 2026
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The father was allegedly trying to stop the 17-year-old from huffing butane, according to the post.—
Eleanor Nash,
Kansas City Star,
2 June 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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But residents who live near hyperscale centers have expressed outrage over a range of issues, including health impacts, spiking utility bills, constant noise, dropping water pressure and concerns about potentially losing their land through eminent domain.—
Katie King,
Los Angeles Times,
21 June 2026
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Some carried placards and others banged plates, their noise cutting through the crowd protesting and demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
20 June 2026
Noun
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Those supporters were left unchallenged by stewards, despite FIFA winning a court hearing enabling them to lawfully prohibit people showing the lion-and-sun flags on the grounds of them carrying a political message and potentially causing disturbances.—
Henry Bushnell,
New York Times,
16 June 2026
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The coordinated attack left one local police officer, who was responding to a disturbance call at the detention center, shot in the neck.—
Mia Cathell,
The Washington Examiner,
15 June 2026
Noun
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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 22 Jun. 2026.
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