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
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.
Artificial spending is finally being scrutinized by investors after years of overlooking technology companies increasing their CapEx budgets during the AI arms race. Jeff Kilburg, CNBC, 12 Dec. 2025 The United States and the Soviet Union built massive armies, competed in a nuclear arms race, and, during numerous crises, moved the world dangerously close to nuclear war. Jennifer Lind, Foreign Affairs, 12 Dec. 2025 Bilbao sparked a starchitectural arms race, in which no city seemed to be complete without the eye-grabbing stamp of some jet-setting Pritzker Prize–winner (almost always a man). Carolina A. Miranda, The Atlantic, 8 Dec. 2025 Experts say an arms race between the cartels — which generate tens of billions of dollars in revenue each year — has pushed some to send members to train as drone operators in Ukraine, which has become the global hotspot for drone warfare. Jeronimo Gonzalez, semafor.com, 8 Dec. 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 19 Dec. 2025.

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