Standard Lemma guide

bluntness

noun · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • US: /ˈblʌnt.nəs/
  • US: /ˈblʌnt.nɪs/
  • US: [ˈblʌnʔ.nɪs]
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ʌntnəs
  • CMU ARPABET: B L AH1 N T N AH0 S Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

The characteristic of being blunt.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

without sharpness or clearness of edge or point

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the dullness of the pencil made his writing illegible

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: dullness

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: shape, form, configuration, contour, conformation

Narrower terms: obtuseness

3

noun

Meaning 3

the quality of being direct and outspoken

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the bluntness of a Yorkshireman

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: inconsideration, inconsiderateness, thoughtlessness

History

Etymology

From Middle English bluntnes, bluntnesse, equivalent to blunt + -ness.

Across languages

Translations

15 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Finnish: tylppyys — the characteristic of being blunt
  • Latvian: trulums — the characteristic of being blunt
  • Macedonian: та́пост (tápost) — the characteristic of being blunt
  • Macedonian: зата́пеност (zatápenost) — the characteristic of being blunt
  • Manx: neuvirrid — the characteristic of being blunt
  • Manx: moandid — the characteristic of being blunt
  • Manx: moandys — the characteristic of being blunt
  • Manx: bryntid — the characteristic of being blunt
  • Manx: bryntys — the characteristic of being blunt
  • Manx: moalaght — the characteristic of being blunt
  • Manx: moalid — the characteristic of being blunt
  • Marathi: बोथटपणा (bothṭapṇā) — the characteristic of being blunt
  • Polish: bezceremonialność — the characteristic of being blunt
  • Russian: затупление (zatuplenije) — the characteristic of being blunt
  • Russian: туповатость (tupovatostʹ) — the characteristic of being blunt