Illustration of sword
- 1 pommel
- 2 hilt
- 3 guard
- 4 blade
often attributive
1
: a weapon (such as a cutlass or rapier) with a long blade for cutting or thrusting that is often used as a symbol of honor or authority
2
a
: an agency or instrument of destruction or combat
b
: the use of force
The pen is mightier than the sword.—
Edward G. Bulwer-Lytton
Edward G. Bulwer-Lytton3
: coercive power
4
: something that resembles a sword
see also:
Examples of sword in a Sentence
once upon a time dueling with swords was the gentlemanly way to settle a point of honor
Recent Examples on the Web
Morgan was accused of stabbing his wife multiple times with the plastic sword, and additionally striking her in the head with a pair of pliers.
—Paula Wethington, CBS News, 21 Mar. 2026
With nods to films of the samurai and shoot-em-up genres, Beetz gives the physical performance of a lifetime, wielding swords and firing guns at a building full of evil yuppies.
—Glenn Garner, Deadline, 17 Mar. 2026
Traditional quest narratives, shaped by the hero’s journey, are tethered to swords, battles, monsters, and a troubling disregard for collateral damage.
—Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 16 Mar. 2026
The mid-century was dominated by Biblical and sword-and-sandal epics, and one of the last truly great ones was 1960's Spartacus.
—Maureen Lee Lenker, Entertainment Weekly, 16 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sword
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Paula Wethington, CBS News, 21 Mar. 2026
With nods to films of the samurai and shoot-em-up genres, Beetz gives the physical performance of a lifetime, wielding swords and firing guns at a building full of evil yuppies.
—Glenn Garner, Deadline, 17 Mar. 2026
Traditional quest narratives, shaped by the hero’s journey, are tethered to swords, battles, monsters, and a troubling disregard for collateral damage.
—Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 16 Mar. 2026
The mid-century was dominated by Biblical and sword-and-sandal epics, and one of the last truly great ones was 1960's Spartacus.
—Maureen Lee Lenker, Entertainment Weekly, 16 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sword
Cite this Entry
“Sword.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sword. Accessed 23 Mar. 2026.
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