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
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
Authorities said he was beaten with a blunt instrument, but there were no details about a suspect, the newspaper reported.
—Nathan Solis, Los Angeles Times, 17 Dec. 2024
Instead of wielding it as a blunt instrument, apply it selectively to empower leaders who are aligned with DOGE’s goals.
—James Broughel, Forbes, 4 Dec. 2024
But the question of which artists to tar as complicit with their governments’ policies is not a simple one, and boycotts are a blunt instrument at best.
—Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 20 Nov. 2024
But his selection lays bare the depth of Trump’s contempt for our vital national law enforcement apparatus and his determination to use it as a blunt instrument to seek revenge on his opponents.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 14 Nov. 2024
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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
Authorities said he was beaten with a blunt instrument, but there were no details about a suspect, the newspaper reported.
—Nathan Solis, Los Angeles Times, 17 Dec. 2024
Instead of wielding it as a blunt instrument, apply it selectively to empower leaders who are aligned with DOGE’s goals.
—James Broughel, Forbes, 4 Dec. 2024
But the question of which artists to tar as complicit with their governments’ policies is not a simple one, and boycotts are a blunt instrument at best.
—Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 20 Nov. 2024
But his selection lays bare the depth of Trump’s contempt for our vital national law enforcement apparatus and his determination to use it as a blunt instrument to seek revenge on his opponents.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 14 Nov. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Blunt instrument.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/blunt%20instrument. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.
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