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bay·o·net | \ ˈbā-ə-nət 
, -ˌnet, ˌbā-ə-ˈnet \
, -ˌnet, ˌbā-ə-ˈnet \Definition of bayonet
(Entry 1 of 2)
: a steel blade attached at the muzzle end of a shoulder arm (such as a rifle) and used in hand-to-hand combat
bayonet
verbbayoneted also bayonetted; bayoneting also bayonetting
Definition of bayonet (Entry 2 of 2)
: to use a bayonet
Examples of bayonet in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web: Noun But Tinseltown would’ve been hard-pressed to reconstitute the gore and the blade-to-bone impact described by the undefeated Golden Gloves welterweight during bayonet fighting on Guadalcanal in 1943.
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Billy Cox, USA TODAY, "Pearl Harbor veterans' memories of the 'day of infamy' live on after 78 years," 8 Dec. 2019 Widjaja said the two had confessed to planning to attack police with a bayonet.
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San Diego Union-Tribune, "Indonesia nabs 2 accused of planning to attack Bali police," 12 Oct. 2019 They were then forced to walk at bayonet point some 65 miles to a woefully inadequate prisoner of war camp.
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Alfred Miller, The Courier-Journal, "Chasing the American dream: I found my grandpa's slice of the Old West in the Philippines," 2 Dec. 2019 Zimbabwean authorities allege that Mr. Biti instigated an Aug. 1 protest that was violently broken up by soldiers toting automatic weapons and bayonets, leaving six civilians dead.
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Gabriele Steinhauser, WSJ, "Zimbabwe’s Crackdown Escalates With Arrest of Opposition Politician," 9 Aug. 2018 The brutal coda — with hundreds of Japanese in the final charge killed while wielding samurai swords, grenades and even bayonets tied to sticks — left only 28 survivors taken as prisoners.
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Alex Horton, Washington Post, "Thousands of Japanese fought in a bloody World War II battle for the Aleutians. Only 28 survived.," 24 May 2018 The idea for bayonets surfaced about the time the president began sending soldiers to the border last year, according one of the officials involved in the discussions.
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BostonGlobe.com, "Trump wanted US forces with bayonets stationed at border, officials say - The Boston Globe," 4 Oct. 2019 The idea for the bayonets surfaced about the time the president began sending U.S. soldiers to the border last year, according one of the officials involved in the discussions.
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Josh Dawsey, Washington Post, "Trump wanted to have U.S. forces equipped with bayonets to stop migrants at border, among other ideas, officials say," 3 Oct. 2019 The idea for the bayonets surfaced about the time the president began sending U.S. soldiers to the border last year, according one of the officials involved in the discussions.
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oregonlive, "Trump wanted to have U.S. forces equipped with bayonets at border, among other ideas, officials say," 3 Oct. 2019 Recent Examples on the Web: Verb And anyway, always better to be bitten by a stingray than bayoneted.
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Erik Heinrich, BostonGlobe.com, "Kittiwake wreck dive and Stingray City are unforgettable adventures – even if you do get bit," 16 May 2018 An Army inquiry ultimately determined that 347 civilians were killed that day — shot, bayoneted or blasted with grenades.
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Richard Goldstein, New York Times, "Ernest Medina, Army Captain Acquitted in My Lai Massacre, Dies at 81," 13 May 2018 An Army inquiry ultimately determined that 347 civilians were killed that day — shot, bayoneted, or blasted with grenades.
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Richard Goldstein, BostonGlobe.com, "Ernest Medina, 81, Army captain acquitted in My Lai Massacre," 14 May 2018 One elderly man was bayoneted to death; another man was thrown alive into a well and killed with a hand grenade.
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Washington Post, "50 years ago, the My Lai massacre shamed the US military," 15 Mar. 2018 One elderly man was bayoneted to death; another man was thrown alive into a well and killed with a hand grenade.
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Fox News, "50 years ago, the My Lai massacre shamed the US military," 15 Mar. 2018 There are many battles in which surrendering soldiers are gunned down or bayoneted to death.
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Dom Giordano, Philly.com, "Bill O'Reilly mastered the art of turning history into fascinating reads | Dom Giordano," 27 Sep. 2017 One of them, Scott Pruitt, the attorney general of Oklahoma, who used his office to bayonet Mr. Obama’s clean-energy regulations, was just chosen by Mr. Trump to become the new head of the Environmental Protection Agency.
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Vivian Yee, New York Times, "To Combat Trump, Democrats Ready a G.O.P. Tactic: Lawsuits," 14 Dec. 2016 McCain got bayoneted in the groin; a soldier broke his shoulder apart with a rifle butt.
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Elliot Kaufman, National Review, "John McCain: A Hero Under Fire," 19 July 2017
See MoreThese example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'bayonet.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for bayonet
bayonet
noun English Language Learners Definition of bayonet
: a long knife that is attached to the end of a rifle and used as a weapon in battle
See the full definition for bayonet in the English Language Learners Dictionary
bayonet
nounbay·o·net | \ ˈbā-ə-nət , ˌbā-ə-ˈnet \
, ˌbā-ə-ˈnet \Kids Definition of bayonet
(Entry 1 of 2)
: a weapon like a dagger made to fit on the end of a rifle
bayonet
verbbayonetted; bayonetting
Kids Definition of bayonet (Entry 2 of 2)
: to stab with a bayonet
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Time Traveler for bayonet
The first known use of bayonet was in 1680
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