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

see also:

at daggers drawn look daggers

Examples of dagger in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Instead, Boldy whiffed and, seconds later, Brett Kulak — of all players — put the dagger in Minnesota’s season after Martin Nečas came through in the clutch with a tremendous setup. —Michael Russo, New York Times, 14 May 2026

Also, 2023 first-round pick Cason Wallace, an elite defender and efficient offensive contributor, delivered the dagger Thursday with eight fourth-quarter points. —Los Angeles Times, 8 May 2026

Cold-reading Natalie to steal the dagger? —Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 4 May 2026

There will be mass hallucinations, legal exorcisms, shady book launderers, and scarlet daggers. —Willa Rubin, NPR, 1 May 2026

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