gunpowder
noun
gun·pow·der
ˈgən-ˌpau̇-dər 
: an explosive mixture of potassium nitrate, charcoal, and sulfur used in gunnery and blasting
broadly
: any of various powders used in guns as propelling charges
Examples of gunpowder in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
In 1700, for example, the Dutch flooded part of West Africa with perhaps as much as 40 million pounds of gunpowder, enough for well over half a billion musket shots; the world population at the time may have been as low as 600 million people.
—
Clifton Crais, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
Ukraine’s armed forces said Storm Shadow missiles had evaded Russia’s air defenses and struck the site in Bryansk which produces gunpowder, explosives and rocket components.
—MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Oct. 2025
Dakota County land that was once used to manufacture gunpowder could soon be home to an industry-leading aerospace facility.
—Mars King, Twin Cities, 22 Oct. 2025
Later Tuesday, Ukrainian officials said that Ukraine had targeted Russia’s Bryansk Chemical Plant – which produces gunpowder and other explosive materials – with long-range Storm Shadow missiles.
—Tim Lister, CNN Money, 21 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gunpowder
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Clifton Crais, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
Ukraine’s armed forces said Storm Shadow missiles had evaded Russia’s air defenses and struck the site in Bryansk which produces gunpowder, explosives and rocket components.
—MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Oct. 2025
Dakota County land that was once used to manufacture gunpowder could soon be home to an industry-leading aerospace facility.
—Mars King, Twin Cities, 22 Oct. 2025
Later Tuesday, Ukrainian officials said that Ukraine had targeted Russia’s Bryansk Chemical Plant – which produces gunpowder and other explosive materials – with long-range Storm Shadow missiles.
—Tim Lister, CNN Money, 21 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gunpowder
Cite this Entry
“Gunpowder.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gunpowder. Accessed 3 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
gunpowder
noun
gun·pow·der
-ˌpau̇d-ər
: an explosive mixture used in guns and blasting
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share