1
as in rhetoric
boastful speech or writing
all the bluster in the campaign speech was intended to hide a lack of specifics
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2
as in roar
loud, confused, and usually inharmonious sound
I can't work with all the bluster in here
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in commotion
a state of noisy, confused activity
a mayor who got things done without a lot of bluster and self-serving publicity
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to huff
to talk loudly and wildly
the rude customer blustered and yelled threats about lawsuits, but eventually left
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of bluster
Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 2 Oct. 2025
Was her prediction a bit of bluster?
—Tatiana Siegel, Variety, 30 Sep. 2025
Marni Rose McFall Orton, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 July 2025
So far, the result is a blitz of mixed messages, conflicting signals and blustering threats, not unlike the way Mr. Trump and his aides talk about their ever-evolving tariff strategy.
—David E. Sanger, New York Times, 16 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bluster
Noun
That claim was the sort of startup bluster best taken with shakers of salt.
—Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 2 Oct. 2025
Was her prediction a bit of bluster?
—Tatiana Siegel, Variety, 30 Sep. 2025
Verb
Daniel Rigby as Vernon Dursley A BAFTA-winning performer (Eric and Ernie, The Witches), Rigby will play Harry's blustering Muggle uncle and husband of Petunia.
—Marni Rose McFall Orton, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 July 2025
So far, the result is a blitz of mixed messages, conflicting signals and blustering threats, not unlike the way Mr. Trump and his aides talk about their ever-evolving tariff strategy.
—David E. Sanger, New York Times, 16 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bluster
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bluster
Noun
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Yet, historians have noted that his rhetoric and policies play into the individualist and patriotic characteristics associated with the beloved Western cowboy.—
Leah Asmelash,
CNN Money,
19 Oct. 2025
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Republican rhetoric didn’t appear to give protesters pause in the Bay Area on Saturday, and local Republicans appeared to stay on the sidelines.—
Grant Stringer,
Mercury News,
19 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Anchored by Syracuse University, the city hums with youthful spirit, from buzzy Marshall Street to the roar of the JMA Wireless Dome, where Orange basketball games regularly draw some of the largest crowds in college hoops.—
Lauren Dana Ellman,
Travel + Leisure,
19 Oct. 2025
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The only noise was the roar of the crowd when Cole Sullivan and Jimmy Rolder intercepted passes on back-to-back drives, or when Bryce Underwood rolled out and found a wide-open Zack Marshall in the end zone.—
Austin Meek,
New York Times,
19 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Shannon moans right about the time Jenn walks out to see what the commotion is all about.—
Peter Larsen,
Oc Register,
10 Oct. 2025
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Glenn wasn’t met with cheers or the sounds of flashing cameras — there was a distinct lack of commotion.—
Zack Rosenblatt,
New York Times,
9 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Through Blazy’s gaze, what looks outlandish is often revealed to be truer to itself than, for instance, the nearby tourist restaurants with candles burning down over beef bourguignon and accordions huffing in the corner.—
Nathan Heller,
Vogue,
14 Oct. 2025
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Nitrous oxide powers whip cream canisters and sedates patients in dentists’ offices, but huffing it for fun can lead to addiction, injury and death.—
John Wenzel,
Denver Post,
6 Aug. 2025
Noun
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The Townshend-esque vibe is much stronger on Argent's original version of this song, but Kiss' reinvention is a vast improvement, weeding out the prog-rock bombast while venturing into Mott the Hoople territory.—
Ed Masley,
AZCentral.com,
17 Oct. 2025
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Those blockbusters happen to an audience, flattening them with a bombast their living rooms can’t replicate.—
Robert Rubsam,
New York Times,
1 Oct. 2025
Noun
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First, despite tabloid headlines about Leto, such noise doesn’t factor into moviegoers’ decisions to buy or not buy a ticket; it could be argued most were not even in the know of the June Air Mail exposé on his alleged behavior.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
20 Oct. 2025
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The outlet reported that noise from the construction was also audible on the White House's campus.—
Charlotte Phillipp,
PEOPLE,
20 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Skims is no stranger to bold and thought-provoking products, having previously caused a stir with its controversial line of face wraps.—
Anthony Robledo,
USA Today,
18 Oct. 2025
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The sighting has caused a stir in the country and the broader region, as experts believe the whale could be the elusive Migaloo, an extremely rare, decades-old all-white humpback.—
Brendan Rascius,
Miami Herald,
16 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The album is a hot mess of conflicted emotions, empty braggadocio, poor technique, and heartbreaking yet tiresome crying jags.—
Mosi Reeves,
Rolling Stone,
29 Sep. 2025
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The first singles from Carey’s 16th album are dripping with braggadocio with her inimitable voice wafting like smoke.—
Matthew Schnipper,
Vulture,
9 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bluster.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bluster. Accessed 23 Oct. 2025.
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