Bluster — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb noun /ˈblə-stər/ blus·ter

Meaning & Definition of Bluster

Bluster (verb)

  1. to talk or act with noisy swaggering threats
  2. to blow in stormy noisy gusts
  3. to be windy and boisterous

Bluster (noun)

  1. a violent boisterous blowing
  2. violent commotion
  3. loudly boastful or threatening speech

Bluster (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. boastful speech or writing

    "all the bluster in the campaign speech was intended to hide a lack of specifics"

    similar: bombast, brag, braggadocio, bull (slang), cockalorum, fanfaronade, gas, gasconade, grandiloquence, hot air, magniloquence, rant, rodomontade
    related: oratory, rhapsody, rhetoric, pomposity, turgidity, wind, bloviation, verbosity, windiness, babble, blab, chatter, drivel, gabble, gibber, gibberish, jabber, prattle, jawing, patter, prating, yammering, egotism, self-conceit, self-importance, swagger, vaunt

  2. loud, confused, and usually inharmonious sound

    "I can't work with all the bluster in here"

    similar: babel, blare, bowwow, brawl, bruit (archaic), cacophony, chatter, clamor, clangor, decibel(s), din, discordance, katzenjammer, noise, racket, rattle, roar
    related: discord, dissonance, commotion, furor, hubbub, hullabaloo, hurly-burly, rumpus, tumult, uproar, clatter, jangle, bang, blast, boom, clap, crack, crash
    opposite: quiet, silence, silentness, still, stillness
    near: calm, hush, lull, quietude, serenity, tranquility

  3. a state of noisy, confused activity

    "a mayor who got things done without a lot of bluster and self-serving publicity"

    similar: ado, alarums and excursions, ballyhoo, blather, bobbery, bother, bustle, clatter, clutter (chiefly dialect), coil, commotion, disturbance, do (chiefly dialect), foofaraw, fun, furor, furore, fuss, helter-skelter, hoo-ha, hoopla, hubble-bubble, hubbub, hullabaloo, hurly, hurly-burly, hurricane, hurry, hurry-scurry, kerfuffle (chiefly British), moil, pandemonium, pother, row, ruckus, ruction, rumpus, shindy, splore (Scottish), squall, stew, stir, storm, to-do, tumult, turmoil, uproar, welter, whirl, williwaw, zoo
    related: cacophony, clamor, din, howl, hue and cry, noise, outcry, racket, roar, disorder, unrest, upheaval, eruption, flare-up, flurry, flutter, outbreak, outburst, brawl, fracas, fray, hassle, melee, scuffle, dither, fever, fret, lather, tizzy
    near: calm, hush, peace, quiet, quietude, rest, stillness, tranquility, order, orderliness

Bluster (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to talk loudly and wildly

    "the rude customer blustered and yelled threats about lawsuits, but eventually left"

    similar: fulminate, huff, rant, rave, spout
    related: sound off, speak out, speak up, blare, blurt (out), bolt, bloviate, blow, declaim, harangue, mouth (off), orate, pontificate, carry on, rage, storm, take on
    near: grunt, murmur, mutter, slur, breathe, whisper

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Bluster

The most common words with a similar meaning to Bluster:

Chiefly dialect: clutter, do
Slang: bull
Archaic: bruit
Chiefly British: kerfuffle
Scottish: splore
bombast, brag, braggadocio, cockalorum, fanfaronade, gas, gasconade, grandiloquence, hot air, magniloquence, rant, rodomontade, babel, blare, bowwow, brawl, cacophony, chatter, clamor, clangor, decibel(s), din, discordance, katzenjammer, noise, racket, rattle, roar, ado, alarums and excursions, ballyhoo, blather, bobbery, bother, bustle, clatter, coil, commotion, disturbance, foofaraw

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Bluster

Words with the opposite meaning of Bluster:

quiet, silence, silentness, still, stillness

Related Words for Bluster

oratory, rhapsody, rhetoric, pomposity, turgidity, wind, bloviation, verbosity, windiness, babble, blab, drivel, gabble, gibber, gibberish, jabber, prattle, jawing, patter, prating, yammering, egotism, self-conceit, self-importance, swagger, vaunt, discord, dissonance, jangle, bang

Near Antonyms of Bluster

calm, hush, lull, quietude, serenity, tranquility, peace, rest, order, orderliness, grunt, murmur, mutter, slur, breathe, whisper

Word Forms of Bluster

Inflections: blustered, blustering

Derived words: blusterer (noun), blusterous (adjective), blustery (adjective)

Origin & Etymology of Bluster

Middle English blustren, probably from Middle Low German blüsteren

First known use: 15th centuryi

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Bluster

Frequently Asked Questions about Bluster

What does "Bluster" mean?

"Bluster" means to talk or act with noisy swaggering threats. As an a verb and a noun, it is defined as: to talk or act with noisy swaggering threats. It has 4 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Bluster"?

Other words for "Bluster" include bombast, brag, braggadocio, bull, cockalorum, fanfaronade, gas and gasconade. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Bluster" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Bluster"?

There are 157 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Bluster". Common alternatives include bombast, brag, braggadocio, bull, cockalorum, fanfaronade, gas, gasconade, grandiloquence and hot air.

What is the opposite of "Bluster"?

Antonyms of "Bluster" include quiet, silence, silentness, still and stillness. Near antonyms include calm, hush, lull and quietude.

How do you use "Bluster" in a sentence?

Examples of "Bluster" in a sentence: "all the bluster in the campaign speech was intended to hide a lack of specifics"; "I can't work with all the bluster in here"; "a mayor who got things done without a lot of bluster and self-serving publicity".

Is "Bluster" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Bluster" can be used as a verb and a noun, depending on the context.

Is "Bluster" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a C2-level word, "Bluster" is typical of Cambridge C2 Proficiency (CPE), IELTS band 8.5–9.0, TOEFL iBT 114–120, PTE Academic 85–90. Advanced words like this are also useful for the GRE, SAT, GMAT, and LSAT.

How do you pronounce "Bluster"?

"Bluster" is pronounced /ˈblə-stər/ and divided into syllables as blus·ter.