dagger

noun

dag·​ger ˈda-gər 

1

: a sharp pointed knife for stabbing

2

a

: something that resembles a dagger

b

: a character † used as a reference mark or to indicate a death date

daggerlike

ˈda-gər-ˌlīk 

adjective

Phrases

at daggers drawn

: in a state of open hostility or conflict

look daggers or stare daggers

: to stare angrily

they looked daggers at each other across the table

Examples of dagger in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The mystical dagger is a piece of meteorite from when the mysterious evil creature crash-landed on Earth millions of years ago, as was explained in episode 4, per Decider. —Christopher Rudolph, PEOPLE, 24 Nov. 2025

Taniel runs from Fuller and immediately drops the protective dagger. —Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 24 Nov. 2025

The original version of stiletto nails—long and dagger-like—might have been tricky to wear, but these red carpet midi iterations prove the trend is suitable for everyone, even for those whose ultimate goal is channeling an aura of comfort and ease—with a hint of Y2K drama, of course. —Ana Morales, Vogue, 18 Nov. 2025

The moment unofficially sealed the Commanders’ 38-14 defeat and appears to be the dagger in a disappointing season that already had flickering hopes entering this game. —Nicki Jhabvala, New York Times, 3 Nov. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing dagger

• cloak-and-dagger
• double dagger

Rhymes for dagger

• agger
• bagger
• stagger
• swagger

Kids Definition

dagger

noun

dag·​ger ˈdag-ər 

1

: a short weapon for stabbing

2

: a symbol † used in printing as a reference mark to indicate a death date