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.

---

Example Sentences

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

County medical examiner has one record of an Aug. 30 fatality at a cliff — a 47-year-old man called Donald Walker, whose cause of death was ruled accidental due to blunt force injuries.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 31, 2025

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

The recent injuries were believed to have been caused by "blunt force trauma caused by a wide object".

From BBC • Oct. 30, 2023

Harris argued that the top-down influence of parents is overwhelmed by the grassroots effect of peer pressure, the blunt force applied each day by friends and schoolmates.

From "Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything" by Steven D. Levitt