1
: one that cleaves
especially
: a butcher's implement for cutting animal carcasses into joints or pieces
2
: a prehistoric stone tool having a sharp edge at one end
Examples of cleaver in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Think of ordinary tongs as a cleaver, and a Stando as a scalpel.
—
Alaina Chou, Bon Appetit Magazine, 30 Jan. 2026
No need to bust out the cleaver.
—Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 Jan. 2026
Investigators were then led to the Amityville home, where police recovered a large folding knife, a large kitchen knife and two meat cleavers, Tierney said in April 2024.
—Charna Flam, PEOPLE, 15 Jan. 2026
In a series of sanguinary close-ups, Elvira takes a cleaver to her digits, first slicing them and then fully dismembering them.
—Andrew McGowan, Variety, 23 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cleaver
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Alaina Chou, Bon Appetit Magazine, 30 Jan. 2026
No need to bust out the cleaver.
—Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 Jan. 2026
Investigators were then led to the Amityville home, where police recovered a large folding knife, a large kitchen knife and two meat cleavers, Tierney said in April 2024.
—Charna Flam, PEOPLE, 15 Jan. 2026
In a series of sanguinary close-ups, Elvira takes a cleaver to her digits, first slicing them and then fully dismembering them.
—Andrew McGowan, Variety, 23 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cleaver
Cite this Entry
“Cleaver.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cleaver. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
cleaver
noun
cleav·er
ˈklē-vər 
: a heavy knife with a wide blade
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