assault weapon

noun

: any of various automatic or semiautomatic firearms

especially : assault rifle

Examples of assault weapon in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The high court will again focus on Illinois next session, examining whether Cook County's assault weapons ban is constitutional. — Chris Tye, CBS News, 30 July 2026

But days later, a different appeals court ruled against New Jersey’s assault weapons ban. — Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 26 July 2026

New Jersey enacted its assault weapons law in 1990 following a mass shooting at a California elementary school. — Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 17 July 2026

On June 19, 2022, Richard Dixon opened fire on two individuals using an AR-style assault weapon, according to a release from the Queens County District Attorney in New York City. — Eleanor Jacobs, PEOPLE, 17 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1968, in the meaning defined above