semiautomatic

adjective

semi·​au·​to·​mat·​ic ˌse-mē-ˌȯ-tə-ˈma-tik How to pronounce semiautomatic (audio)
ˌse-ˌmī-,
-mi-
: not fully automatic: such as
a
: operated partly automatically and partly by hand
b
of a firearm : able to fire repeatedly through an automatic reloading process but requiring release and another pressure of the trigger for each successive shot
a semiautomatic rifle
semiautomatic noun
semiautomatically adverb

Examples of semiautomatic in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Another Alpha Project security guard was grazed in the leg by a bullet, and both defendants were convicted of assault with a semiautomatic firearm for his injuries. City News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Mar. 2024 The case hinges on whether bump stocks convert semiautomatic rifles into machine guns. Abbie Vansickle, New York Times, 28 Feb. 2024 Healer, who has a long criminal history, pleaded guilty last year to trafficking fentanyl, meth and heroin while armed with a semiautomatic rifle and is slated to be sentenced in April. Beth Warren, The Courier-Journal, 21 Feb. 2024 Another 30 minutes later, at approximately 5 a.m., Wilson-Branch and the other man held up the driver of an Audi A6 with a 9mm semiautomatic handgun and the assault rifle. Kristi Miller, Twin Cities, 3 Feb. 2024 The popularity of the Glock semiautomatic made Mr. Glock a billionaire and added his name to the array of weapons known by their makers: Kalashnikov, Beretta, Colt, Uzi and others. Brian Murphy, Washington Post, 28 Dec. 2023 The Supreme Court on Thursday, Dec. 14, declined to put on hold a new Illinois law that would ban high-power semiautomatic weapons like the one used in the mass killing of seven people at a 2022 parade in a Chicago suburb. arkansasonline.com, 15 Dec. 2023 Walz in his 2023 budget recommendations called for magazine capacity limits and restrictions on semiautomatic rifle sales to anyone under 21. Alex Derosier, Twin Cities, 2 Jan. 2024 Patrice Davis, of Oakland, was charged with robbery, assault with a semiautomatic firearm, shooting into an occupied car and making criminal threats, court records show. Nate Gartrell, The Mercury News, 21 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'semiautomatic.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1853, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of semiautomatic was in 1853

Dictionary Entries Near semiautomatic

Cite this Entry

“Semiautomatic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/semiautomatic. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

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