blunt instrument

noun

: an object without sharp edges or points that is used as a club
He was hit over the head with a blunt instrument.

Examples of blunt instrument in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
After all, this was a blunt instrument of a four-door that could keep up with some of the best sports cars of the day. Will Sabel Courtney, Robb Report, 13 Mar. 2025 Ripple’s legal team long argued that the SEC’s strategy wasn’t about upholding the law, but about using it as a blunt instrument. Mackenzie Sigalos,ari Levy, CNBC, 22 Mar. 2025 The gang label has become a blunt instrument—an easy way to strip individuals of their rights. Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 21 Mar. 2025 Her boozy, blustering sarcasm should be entered into evidence as a blunt instrument. Tom Gliatto, People.com, 20 Mar. 2025 By using tariffs as a blunt instrument, competition is stifled, reducing incentives for American firms to innovate and develop high-quality, low-cost products. Christopher S. Tang, Baltimore Sun, 24 Feb. 2025 Firing all probationary employees—which is the most expedient way to reduce the size of government—is a blunt instrument. Eric Berger, Ars Technica, 19 Feb. 2025 Decoupling doesn’t have to be a blunt instrument, and its effect on climate change needn’t be all bad. Valerie J. Karplus, Foreign Affairs, 19 Mar. 2021 The tariff is a blunt instrument that might be ill-advised because Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has a pretty strong mandate to play hardball. Jim Cramer, CNBC, 3 Feb. 2025

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“Blunt instrument.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/blunt%20instrument. Accessed 15 Apr. 2025.

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