Blunt (Verb)
Meaning 1
Make dull or blunt; "Too much cutting dulls the knife's edge".
Classification
Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging.
Examples
- Using the same pair of scissors for years can blunt their cutting ability.
- The sanding process can blunt the edge of the tool if not done carefully.
- Cutting through thick metal can blunt even the sharpest of blades.
- The repetitive motion of the paper cutter can quickly blunt its edge.
- Overuse of the pruning shears can blunt their sharpness over time.
Synonyms
Hypernyms
Meaning 2
Make numb or insensitive; "The shock numbed her senses".
Classification
Verbs of seeing, hearing, feeling.
Examples
- The medication eventually managed to blunt the pain and allowed her to rest.
- Repetitive exposure to violence can blunt our emotional responses over time.
- Years of dealing with harsh criticism had started to blunt his sensitivity to hurtful words.
- Lack of sleep and stress had begun to blunt her focus and reaction time.
- The anti-depressants were able to blunt the edge of his anxiety attacks eventually.
Synonyms
Hypernyms
Meaning 3
Make less sharp; "blunt the knives".
Classification
Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc..
Examples
- The repeated impact on the stone floor had begun to blunt the tips of the metal spikes.
- Exposure to water can blunt the blades of axes and other similar tools.
- Waves grinding the sharp rocks for centuries have effectively blunt the entire shoreline.
- The sharpening steel was so worn that it now seemed to blunt my knives more than sharpen them.
- Abusing a good knife by twisting it during cutting can quickly blunt its edge.
Hypernyms
Meaning 4
Make less intense; "blunted emotions".
Classification
Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc..
Examples
- The long-term use of the antidepressants had begun to blunt her emotional responses to stressful situations.
- Exposure to constant criticism from her peers had blunted her initial enthusiasm for the creative project.
- Time and familiarity had blunted the impact of the intense physical sensation he felt during his first skydiving experience.
- After years of being in a destructive relationship, her natural reactions to fear and anxiety had become somewhat blunted.
- As the day wore on and fatigue set in, his sharp intellect was gradually blunted by exhaustion.
Meaning 5
Make less lively, intense, or vigorous; impair in vigor, force, activity, or sensation; "Terror blunted her feelings"; "deaden a sound".
Classification
Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc..
Examples
- The long winter blunted her enthusiasm for outdoor activities.
- Their constant arguing had blunted his feelings for her over time.
- The repeated failures blunted his desire to start his own business.
- The medication was designed to blunt the severe pain associated with the disease.
- The continued exposure to violence had started to blunt his emotional response.