arms race

noun

: a race between hostile nations to accumulate or develop weapons

broadly : an ever escalating race or competition

Examples of arms race in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The Seminoles opened a massive new football center in 2025, part of an extraordinary facilities arms race that has transformed college football. — Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 25 Sep. 2026

Second, expect a clinical-grade arms race among the pure-play specialists. — Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 24 Sep. 2026

However, the risks facing the nation have never been higher, and the speed with which the technological arms race between attackers and defenders is escalating puts security leaders under even greater pressure. — Lee Rossey, Forbes.com, 24 Sep. 2026

Meanwhile, behind closed doors, the global superpowers were accelerating the arms race. — Scott W. Stern, The Atlantic, 17 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1921, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for arms race

• abase
• airspace
• apace
• backspace
• biface
• birthplace
• blackface
• boldface
• bookcase
• braincase
• briefcase
• carcase