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Synonyms

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.


Etymology

Origin of bluntly

blunt ( def. ) + -ly

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.

Dorinda Medley has described the unspoken rule bluntly: you had to get there early, because once the salmon disappeared, what remained was… less compelling.

From Salon

"There's a problem here – the fuel problem – so surely the people at the top on both sides have to sit down, figure it out," he says bluntly.

From BBC

Wells Fargo’s Mike Mayo, bluntly asked whether the bank was an AI winner or loser.

From MarketWatch

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

From BBC

Cody Schuiteboer, president and chief executive of Best Interest Financial, puts it more bluntly.

From MarketWatch