armed

1 of 3

adjective (1)

ˈärmd 

1

a

: furnished with weapons

an armed guard

also : using or involving a weapon

b

: furnished with something that provides security, strength, or efficacy

armed with knowledge

2

: marked by the maintenance of armed forces in readiness

armed

2 of 3

adjective (2)

: having an arm or arms especially of a specified kind or number

—usually used in combination

long-armed

two-armed

armed

3 of 3

past tense and past participle of arm entry 2

Examples of armed in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

The PetroCaribe movement soon converged into broader anger over high inflation, kidnappings and the growing reach of armed gangs. — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 1 Oct. 2026

Second were unarmed passengers who subdued the armed attacker before one pulled back on the yoke to level the aircraft, drawing on knowledge from an air-disaster documentary. — Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2026

Police found no explosives in suspicious vehicles A police cordon remained in place around three vans found close to the Fairford base on Tuesday, as armed police and counterterrorism officers continued to examine the scene. — Sylvia Hui, Los Angeles Times, 30 Sep. 2026

But their ideas will be completely at the mercy of the armed elite, who prioritize restoring deterrence and preserving enough offensive capability to hurt Iran’s adversaries. — Ali Vaez, Foreign Affairs, 29 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective (1)

Middle English, from past participle of armen "to arm entry 2"

First Known Use

Adjective (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adjective (2)

1500, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing armed

• armed and dangerous
• armed forces
• armed robbery
• armed to the teeth
• heavily armed
• one-armed bandit

Rhymes for armed

• alarmed
• disarmed
• unarmed
• unharmed
• charmed
• farmed
• harmed

Kids Definition

armed

adjective

1

: furnished with weapons

an armed guard

2

: furnished with something that provides security or strength

armed with knowledge

Medical Definition

armed

adjective

ˈärmd 

1

: having an arm or arms especially of a specified kind or number

—usually used in combination

long-armed

two-armed

2

: having a spiny rostellum

a tapeworm armed with numerous hammer-shaped hooks

Legal Definition

armed

adjective

ˈärmd 

1

: having a weapon

an armed assailant

2

: involving the use of a weapon

an armed attack