blunt force

American  

[bluhnt fawrs] / ˈblʌnt ˈfɔrs /

noun

1. the force of an impact to the body, such as from a collision, weapon, etc., that does not penetrate beneath the skin but may nonetheless cause serious internal or surface injury.

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Example Sentences

Michael Mott, 41, died from multiple blunt force injuries in the collision on the Denver Airport runway Friday night, according to Denver Chief Medical Examiner Sterling McLaren.

From Los Angeles Times • May 13, 2026

America has to find a way to restart diplomacy, using soft power and persuasion more often than the blunt force of tariffs or threat of conflict with key partners.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 10, 2026

Some people are not just living with loss but also trying to create or experience something meaningful, to counter the blunt force of the ache.

From New York Times • May 25, 2024

Preliminary findings of a necropsy show “catastrophic injuries with a dislocation of the whale’s spine” that “are consistent with blunt force trauma from a vessel strike prior to death,” the agency said Thursday.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 4, 2024

This is why Mom used to add “bike helmet” to the storm list when she was little—a mattress over the bathtub only protects so far from blunt force trauma.

From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith