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

Truist Securities analyst Brian Foran put the situation more bluntly, calling the proposal “not great” for the card companies even though its severe potential consequences could stop it from becoming a reality.

From MarketWatch

“No Other Choice” bluntly depicts a contemporary workforce decimated by AI and cost-cutting, but its view of alienated labor and thwarted masculinity has roots in indelible works such as “Parasite” and “Breaking Bad.”

From Los Angeles Times

“I’m going to see if they get their price down, to put it very bluntly. And I think that is a very big statement.”

From Los Angeles Times

On Wednesday, Powell bluntly observed that recent employment reports have likely overstated tepid gains.

From The Wall Street Journal

Last month, he sat down for a tongue bath of an interview with Carlson, which the former Fox News host justified by bluntly declaring Fuentes’ popularity demanded it.

From Salon

Related Words

• crudely
• harshly