assault rifle
nounDefinition of assault rifle
: any of various intermediate-range, magazine-fed military rifles (such as the AK-47) that can be set for automatic or semiautomatic fire also : a rifle that resembles a military assault rifle but is designed to allow only semiautomatic fire
Examples of assault rifle in a Sentence
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Another security guard at the tavern said the officer jumped onto the bar and waved an assault rifle before running outside and fatally shooting the guard, an attorney said Tuesday. — Don Babwin, The Seattle Times, "Death of black security guard brings call for investigation," 13 Nov. 2018 That was just hours before a man with a handgun and a high-capacity magazine shot dead 12 people in a bar in Thousand Oaks, California, and less than two weeks after a man with an assault rifle shot dead 11 people in a Pittsburgh synagogue. — Dr. Judy Melinek, Vox, "The NRA told doctors to “stay in your lane” on guns. I’m a doctor. This is my lane.," 12 Nov. 2018 Atlanta police told Channel 2 Action News someone driving by the Smith Street home fired more than a dozen rounds with an assault rifle. — Chelsea Prince, ajc, "Shots fired at home of slain Atlanta rapper’s mother, police say," 4 July 2018 Active Shooter reportedly enabled players to move through a school as a SWAT officer or gunman and simulate killing police and civilians with an assault rifle. — Casey Quackenbush, Time, "A Video Game Letting Players Simulate a School Shooting Has Been Pulled After Criticism," 30 May 2018 Five years ago, CJ Grisham was hiking in Bell County with an assault rifle slung across his torso when a Temple police officer pulled up behind him. — Brian Chasnoff, San Antonio Express-News, "Gun rights activist targeting GOP candidate," 4 May 2018 Eventually a man with an assault rifle showed up at the pizzeria and fired a shot before he was apprehended. — Cnn Staff, CNN, "Five ways hate speech spreads online," 2 May 2018 Shaw, 29, dashed into the restaurant's bathroom when police say Travis Reinking opened fire with an assault rifle. — John Bacon, USA TODAY, "Nashville Waffle House hero's gofundme for victims is booming, and so is one for his child," 26 Apr. 2018 Fusco and Katie Pladl were driving in the area of routes 7 and 55 in New Milford on April 12 when a van driven by Steven Pladl pulled up next to their vehicle and opened fire with an assault rifle, according to police. — Rebecca Lurye, courant.com, "Funeral Held For Victims Of New Milford Murder-Suicide," 21 Apr. 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'assault rifle.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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Last Updated
7 Dec 2018
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The first known use of assault rifle was in 1964
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