Being blunt is futile (9)
I believe the answer is:
pointless
I believe this is a double definition.
'being blunt' is the first definition.
('pointless' can be similar in meaning to 'blunt')
'futile' is the second definition.
(I've seen this before)
'is' acts as a link.
(Other definitions for pointless that I've seen before include "Serving no purpose" , "no avail" , "Having little use" , "Quite vain" , "Single-track railway might be so" .)