Illustration of sword
- 1 pommel
- 2 hilt
- 3 guard
- 4 blade
often attributive
1
: a weapon (such as a cutlass or rapier) with a long blade for cutting or thrusting that is often used as a symbol of honor or authority
2
a
: an agency or instrument of destruction or combat
b
: the use of force
the pen is mightier than the sword—
E. G. Bulwer-Lytton
E. G. Bulwer-Lytton3
: coercive power
4
: something that resembles a sword
Examples of sword in a Sentence
once upon a time dueling with swords was the gentlemanly way to settle a point of honor
Recent Examples on the Web
That season’s Pirates of the High Seas & Renaissance Fest is a local favorite, with sword fights, fire performers, and mermaids drawing families and fantasy lovers to the shore.
—Carrie Honaker, Travel + Leisure, 15 Aug. 2025
The action is at at best competent but uninspired, and at worst (such as a sword fight toward the end) choppy and nauseating.
—Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 13 Aug. 2025
In her living room, PlayStation controllers, bundles of sage, a medieval sword, and packs of Zyn were shelved together under a glass coffee table.
—Holden Seidlitz, New Yorker, 5 Aug. 2025
Hanna had swung a full-sized sword at a woman’s neck, resulting in serious injury and a partial decapitation, court document say.
—Gillian Stawiszynski, Cincinnati Enquirer, 1 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sword
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.
Carrie Honaker, Travel + Leisure, 15 Aug. 2025
The action is at at best competent but uninspired, and at worst (such as a sword fight toward the end) choppy and nauseating.
—Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 13 Aug. 2025
In her living room, PlayStation controllers, bundles of sage, a medieval sword, and packs of Zyn were shelved together under a glass coffee table.
—Holden Seidlitz, New Yorker, 5 Aug. 2025
Hanna had swung a full-sized sword at a woman’s neck, resulting in serious injury and a partial decapitation, court document say.
—Gillian Stawiszynski, Cincinnati Enquirer, 1 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sword
Cite this Entry
“Sword.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sword. Accessed 1 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share