wield

verb

wielded; wielding; wields

transitive verb

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 credentialsG. 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 But the company also wielded accusations of xenophobia against good-faith skeptics who simply wanted to know how an app owned by a Chinese tech conglomerate could be free of Chinese influence, given Beijing’s track record of meddling with its tech companies. Kevin Roose, New York Times, 14 Mar. 2024 The man was wielding a chainsaw as a weapon, according to authorities. Summer Lin, Los Angeles Times, 13 Mar. 2024 Iran wields tremendous influence in Iraq, but that influence would be even stronger without U.S. forces to counterbalance it. Daniel Byman, Foreign Affairs, 12 Mar. 2024 Trump starts pulling strings on Capitol Hill Trump wields significant influence over Republicans in Congress and has successfully derailed policy fights before. USA TODAY, 12 Mar. 2024 The whole moment was giving mob wife cosplay. McCarthy, 53, wielded her clutch proudly on the red carpet, showing it off to every photographer who looked her way. Hedy Phillips, Peoplemag, 11 Mar. 2024 That means playing as Greek gods, fighting across Mount Olympus, and wielding Zeus’ thunderbolt. Andrew Webster, The Verge, 8 Mar. 2024 The gnarled skin, slippery pit, and inherent awkwardness of wielding a knife around an uneven surface make avocados a uniquely risky fruit to hack into, especially for newbies. Ali Francis, Bon Appétit, 4 Mar. 2024 Although the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors tends to attract less attention than other local government bodies, its five members wield enormous power. Ariane Lange, Sacramento Bee, 6 Mar. 2024

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

Word History

Etymology

Middle English welden to control, from Old English wieldan; akin to Old High German waltan to rule, Latin valēre to be strong, be worth

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of wield was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near wield

Cite this Entry

“Wield.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wield. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

wield

verb
1
: to put (as a tool) to good use
wield a broom
2
: to use one's authority by means of
wield influence
wielder noun

More from Merriam-Webster on wield

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