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
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Top economic rivals, the U.S. and China, are locked in a technological arms race over who can dominate AI as the technology takes on increasing importance everywhere from corporate boardrooms to the battlefield. Jarrett Renshaw, USA Today, 16 July 2025 In the digital arms race for artificial intelligence, the U.S. still holds the lead in AI but China is rapidly closing the distance with firms like DeepSeek to become a major player in the industry. Hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 July 2025 In the technology industry’s artificial intelligence arms race, Nvidia’s computer chips have become valuable components for multiple leading AI developers. Megan Sauer, CNBC, 10 July 2025 That is exactly what happened with Wall Street’s arms race for mortgage traders in the lead-up to the Great Financial Crisis, which offers some striking lessons for Meta. Preston Fore, Fortune, 10 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for arms race

Word History

First Known Use

1921, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of arms race was in 1921

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Cite this Entry

“Arms race.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/arms%20race. Accessed 25 Jul. 2025.

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