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

Put bluntly, beneficiaries, as you say, can disclaim an inheritance, but leaving it in the trust delays the problem.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 16, 2026

Bursting into Kenna’s quarters seemingly at will, she raids her near-empty fridge while bluntly shouldering much of the exposition.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 12, 2026

The no-nonsense police statement is a bluntly worded news earthquake: "The man remains in police custody at this time."

From BBC • Feb. 19, 2026

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

From Salon • Feb. 16, 2026

When I reached the two men, the commanding officer said bluntly, “Mandela, go back to your place. No one called you.”

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela

Related Words

• crudely
• harshly