wielded; wielding; wields
1
chiefly dialectal
: to deal successfully with : manage
2
: to handle (something, such as a tool) especially effectively
wield a broom
3
a
: to exert one's authority by means of
wield influence
b
: to have at one's command or disposal
… did not wield appropriate credentials …—
G. W. Bonham
G. W. Bonham
wielder
noun
Examples of wield in a Sentence
The man was wielding a gun.
Can he wield a hammer?
He wields a great deal of influence over his students.
Recent Examples on the Web
The administration has joined the Magnificent Seven tech companies, which wield greater power than most nation-states, in fighting regulatory control of artificial intelligence.
—Max Hastings, Twin Cities, 11 Jan. 2026
On Thursday, a 62-year-old former NYPD officer, allegedly wielding a sharp object, was fatally shot by New York City police officers at New York-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital.
—Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 11 Jan. 2026
So the detective began visiting retirement homes and other community venues to educate people about the dangers posed by scammers wielding crypto ATMs.
—Kevin Williams, CNBC, 10 Jan. 2026
The United States went to war in 2001 and 2003 with a very moralistic, very crusading view of war, a very black-and-white view that there were good guys and bad guys, and America would wield the swift sword of justice.
—Philip Elliott, Time, 10 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for wield
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Max Hastings, Twin Cities, 11 Jan. 2026
On Thursday, a 62-year-old former NYPD officer, allegedly wielding a sharp object, was fatally shot by New York City police officers at New York-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital.
—Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 11 Jan. 2026
So the detective began visiting retirement homes and other community venues to educate people about the dangers posed by scammers wielding crypto ATMs.
—Kevin Williams, CNBC, 10 Jan. 2026
The United States went to war in 2001 and 2003 with a very moralistic, very crusading view of war, a very black-and-white view that there were good guys and bad guys, and America would wield the swift sword of justice.
—Philip Elliott, Time, 10 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for wield
Cite this Entry
“Wield.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wield. Accessed 15 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
wield
verb1
: to put (as a tool) to good use
wield a broom
2
: to use one's authority by means of
wield influence
wielder
noun
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