bluntly

American  

[bluhnt-lee] / ˈblʌnt li /

adverb

1. starkly and directly, with no attempt to be tactful or diplomatic.

   I always had a tendency to act in ways that are politically unwise—to bluntly say what I consider the truth.

   To put it bluntly, that is a very poor piece of policy-making.

2. in a way that involves no subtlety or discernment.

   It was one of those things that's so bluntly obvious, none of them really had to say anything about it.

   The three-strikes law has been applied too broadly, too bluntly, with some people serving life sentences for relatively minor crimes.

3. without any sharp points or edges.

   It has downy leaves and stems and small white flowers blooming in June, followed by bluntly triangular seedpods.

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Etymology

Origin of bluntly

blunt ( def. ) + -ly

Example Sentences

Katie Miller and her guests avoid talking too bluntly about how disciplining children is achieved.

From Salon

Instead of lying or bluntly delivering the truth, the chatbot explained that the spirit of Santa was real before asking if the child was leaving any cookies out for him.

From The Wall Street Journal

When quizzed about this, the singer replied bluntly: "My friends do not talk to the press, and that's why they are still my friends."

From Barron's

Sullivan—a gruff Irish-Catholic variety-show host who could make or break careers—dropped a folder on the table, a dossier of FBI and press clippings, and asked bluntly:

From The Wall Street Journal

Judge Pomerance, who was senior counsel on another major investigation, concluded bluntly: "The state viewed itself as above the law".

From BBC

Related Words

• crudely
• harshly