blunt
adjective
having an obtuse, thick, or dull edge or point; rounded; not sharp.
blunt
American
[bluhnt]
/ blʌnt /
adjective
-
blunter,
comparative
-
bluntest
superlative
-
having an obtuse, thick, or dull edge or point; rounded; not sharp.
a blunt pencil.
-
abruptly plain and direct in address or manner, without attempting to be tactful.
a blunt, ill-timed question.
-
slow in perception or understanding; obtuse.
His isolation has made him blunt about the feelings of others.
verb (used with object)
-
blunts,
present (3rd person singular)
-
blunted,
past participle, past
-
blunting
present participle
verb (used without object)
-
blunts,
present (3rd person singular)
-
blunted,
past participle, past
-
blunting
present participle
noun
-
blunts
plural
-
something blunt, as a small-game arrow, a short sewing needle, or a short, thick cigar.
-
Slang. a cigar stuffed with marijuana.
blunt
1
British
/ blʌnt /
adjective
-
(esp of a knife or blade) lacking sharpness or keenness; dull
-
not having a sharp edge or point
a blunt instrument
-
(of people, manner of speaking, etc) lacking refinement or subtlety; straightforward and uncomplicated
-
outspoken; direct and to the point
a blunt Yorkshireman
verb
-
to make less sharp
-
to diminish the sensitivity or perception of; make dull
noun
Blunt
2
British
/ blʌnt /
noun
-
Anthony . 1907–83, British art historian and Soviet spy
-
Wilfred Scawen . 1840–1922, British poet, traveller, and anti-imperialist
Usage
What is a basic definition of blunt? Blunt describes something as being not sharp or as being straightforward. Blunt is commonly used as a slang noun to mean a marijuana cigarette. Blunt has several other senses as an adjective, verb, and noun. If something is blunt, it has a flat surface or is rounded. Blunt objects lack points and will slam, prod, or smash rather than pierce, puncture, or stab. In this sense, blunt is the opposite of sharp. For example, a sword is a sharp weapon that has a fine point that can pierce or has a fine edge that can slice. On the other hand, a baseball bat is a blunt object that is rounded with a flat surface. You can’t cut or slice anything with a baseball bat. Real-life examples: Sledgehammers, baseball bats, and tubes are all blunt objects. Used in a sentence: He smacked the nails with the blunt end of the hammer. In this same sense, blunt means to make something not sharp. Used in a sentence: She blunted the knife by trying to use it to cut plaster. Blunt can also mean something is straightforward or direct. Usually, this sense refers to comments or statements that are abrupt. For example, saying that your girlfriend’s new dress is ugly is a blunt statement because it directly states an opinion. As you might guess, this sense of blunt is often used interchangeably with words such as rude, curt, and explicit. The adverb bluntly most often refers to this sense of blunt. Used in a sentence: “I really hate that guy,” Shirley said bluntly. In slang, a blunt is a rolled cigarette or cigar that contains marijuana. Used in a sentence: I saw him smoking a blunt out back on the porch.
Synonym Usage
See dull. Blunt, bluff, brusque, curt characterize manners and speech. Blunt suggests lack of polish and of regard for the feelings of others: blunt and tactless. Bluff implies an unintentional roughness together with so much good-natured heartiness that others rarely take offense: a bluff sea captain. Brusque connotes sharpness and abruptness of speech or manner: a brusque denial. Curt applies especially to disconcertingly concise language: a curt reply. See dull.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Adjectives
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
bluntsimple
-
bluntssimple
-
have bluntedperfect
-
has bluntedperfect
-
am bluntingprogressive
-
are bluntingprogressive
-
is bluntingprogressive
-
have been bluntingperfect progressive
-
has been bluntingperfect progressive
Past
-
bluntedsimple
-
had bluntedperfect
-
was bluntingprogressive
-
were bluntingprogressive
-
had been bluntingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of blunt
First recorded in 1150–1200; Middle English; perhaps akin to blind
Explanation
A blunt object is rounded — it isn't very pointy. A blunt comment is candid — it isn't very subtle. When we blunt things we make them less lively, sharp, or intense. Blunt and blunder ("make a stupid mistake") may have the same origins — the Old Norse blundra, meaning "to shut one's eyes." So don't be blunt ("dull" or "obtuse") — here are a few things you probably don't want to do: 1) use a blunt ("dull") knife to cut your tomatoes; 2) make a blunt ("outspoken") comment that might hurt someone's feelings; or 3) blunt ("deaden") the sound of your favorite music by sticking cotton balls in your ears.
Vocabulary lists containing blunt
The ACT Reading Test: Multiple-Meaning Words, List 1
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
List 5
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
The SAT: Multiple-Meaning Words, List 8
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Jamil may be blunt, but her point is truer now than ever.
From Salon ● Aug. 5, 2026
Novo disclosed on Tuesday that it now expects little to no revenue growth this year, and Doustdar was blunt during an investor call, saying that “2026 continues to be a challenging year for Novo.”
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 5, 2026
The letter’s blunt, legalistic tone methodically laid out pages of allegations, suggesting that there could be additional examples and that the investigation remained ongoing.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 4, 2026
Graham: No midfield structure, shambolic defence and a blunt attacking frontline.
From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026
It’s Principal Espinosa’s voice, but he sounds so blunt.
From "Popcorn" by Rob Harrell
He’s also in good company: Emily Blunt and John Krasinski are neighbors, having snagged a full-floor apartment in the building for $11 million the following year.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 22, 2026
American Automotive Policy Council President Matt Blunt stressed that "North American economic integration enables enormous competitive benefits for the region."
From Barron's ● Jul. 1, 2026
“In my view, she’s the most intensely competitive person in the Senate,” former Sen. Roy Blunt told me.
From Slate ● Jun. 16, 2026
—Katherine Blunt is a tech reporter based in San Franisco.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 7, 2026
“Oh, you’re awake. And dressed. How are you feeling? Not too groggy, I hope. Please come this way. Mr. Blunt is expecting you for lunch.”
From "Stormbreaker" by Anthony Horowitz
A walk after dinner, meaning 10 to 20 minutes of light movement, already consistently blunts unhealthy post-meal glucose spikes.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 21, 2026
Manufacturer Novo Nordisk says the once-a-day tablet could be more convenient for some people than injecting themselves weekly with GLP-1 medication that blunts appetite.
From BBC ● Jun. 11, 2026
Every shipment that makes it across the desert blunts the pressure from a closed strait and gives Gulf governments room to wait out the negotiations and shift the balance of power.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 13, 2026
"The problem is that most evidence shows metformin blunts exercise benefits."
From Science Daily ● Nov. 18, 2025
"Time, that blunts the edge of things, Dries our tears and spoils our bliss," was quietly at work for Norine.
From Norine's Revenge; Sir Noel's Heir by May Agnes Fleming
The beta mom backlash is a response to several converging realities: A blunter cultural dialogue around maternal mental health that has stripped the glamour from “having it all,” and a shifting economic landscape.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 8, 2026
They were, to be blunter than that, living beyond their means.
From MarketWatch ● May 4, 2026
John Frankenheimer, who directed Kilmer in The Island of Dr Moreau, was even blunter.
From BBC ● Apr. 2, 2025
And occasionally, the guest offers a blunter reply.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 7, 2024
Sprat was even blunter: getting rid of the tyranny of the ancients simply involved throwing out what he called ‘the rubbish’.
From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton
“It bears emphasizing that war is among the bluntest instruments available to policymakers—economic or military,” Singh writes.
From Barron's ● Mar. 5, 2026
Former New Jersey governor Chris Christie captured the crowd’s attention at the American Enterprise Institute-sponsored summit by offering the bluntest pitch of all.
From Washington Post ● Mar. 29, 2023
What Sullivan has left behind is the bluntest of warnings.
From Seattle Times ● Oct. 19, 2022
He was bluntest in speaking of the war in Ukraine.
From Salon ● Mar. 3, 2022
Matters being thus settled and the next morning named for the British evacuation of Christendom, needs must pass the usual courtesies between the then stateliest people of Cartagena and the bluntest.
From Sir Mortimer by Mary Johnston
As well as Mr. Jagger sings, the band’s musical edge has been blunted by time.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026
With this intimate, painful epiphany, the show’s larger parable about obligingly submitting to ahistorical ignorance is blunted with a spiritually benevolent ideal.
From Salon ● Jun. 18, 2026
Without that message, the itch-relief sensation is blunted, enabling excessive scratching that can damage the skin, according to Gualdani’s team.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 21, 2026
Arteta has spoken previously about how chaos and attacking more directly were effective ways for Arsenal to create chances when Zubimendi's influence was blunted by being man-marked.
From BBC ● Feb. 15, 2026
The blunted tip glanced off his ribs and knocked the play book from his grasp.
From "The Shakespeare Stealer" by Gary L. Blackwood
The outage at QatarEnergy, the world’s largest LNG exporter, has in turn knocked offline the No. 1 global supplier of helium, while blunting regional fertilizer exports and jolting aluminum production.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 1, 2026
Both are likely to weigh on margins and cashflows, potentially blunting performance in what remains the market’s most important cohort.
From Barron's ● Feb. 10, 2026
"Even before the tumors were palpable, we see about a 40 or 50% blunting of this corticosterone rhythm," he said.
From Science Daily ● Jan. 18, 2026
By the time the Fed raised interest rates, he had already locked in trillions of dollars in support for the labor market, blunting the potential damage from higher rates.
From Slate ● Jul. 24, 2024
Time, blunting the edges of those sharp memories.
From "A Thousand Splendid Suns" by Khaled Hosseini
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
