death ray
noun
: a weapon that generates an intense beam of particles or radiation by which it destroys its target
Examples of death ray in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Whether the Ferriers are on foot or in a car, the director choreographs spectacular carnage around them, a visceral cocktail of alien death rays turning their victims to dust, or city infrastructure being demolished with extreme prejudice.
—
Richard Edwards, Space.com, 29 June 2025
Each match culminates in an all-hands-on-deck fight against the enemy’s Patron, a gigantic floating orb with arms and death rays.
—Sean Hollister, The Verge, 13 Aug. 2024
Recently, the garrulous Leon Trotsky has told the world to beware of a new Russian death ray.
—Mark Fischetti, Scientific American, 25 June 2024
Nikola Tesla and the Death Ray Craze Nikola Tesla, the audacious futurist and groundbreaking inventor, once claimed to have invented a death ray that would end all war.
—JSTOR Daily, 24 June 2024
The Capitol Building Methods used: Alien death ray, regular bombs
The centerpiece of the U.S. Capitol is its 287-foot cast-iron dome, designed by architect Thomas U. Walter in 1854 to replace the much shorter copper original, which, to be honest, looked kind of stupid.
—Elle Carroll, Vulture, 12 Apr. 2024
The military resists, but human technology is no match for Martian tripods and death rays.
—Kermit Roosevelt Iii, TIME, 31 May 2024
Lee adds a touch of class (and a superfluous third nipple) to the colorful menagerie of big-screen Bond villains with his solar death ray.
—Chris Nashawaty, EW.com, 29 May 2024
Archimedes’ death ray is more commonly speculated to have been an array of several mirrors or polished shields.
—Taylor Nicioli, CNN, 8 Mar. 2024
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.
Richard Edwards, Space.com, 29 June 2025
Each match culminates in an all-hands-on-deck fight against the enemy’s Patron, a gigantic floating orb with arms and death rays.
—Sean Hollister, The Verge, 13 Aug. 2024
Recently, the garrulous Leon Trotsky has told the world to beware of a new Russian death ray.
—Mark Fischetti, Scientific American, 25 June 2024
Nikola Tesla and the Death Ray Craze Nikola Tesla, the audacious futurist and groundbreaking inventor, once claimed to have invented a death ray that would end all war.
—JSTOR Daily, 24 June 2024
The Capitol Building Methods used: Alien death ray, regular bombs
The centerpiece of the U.S. Capitol is its 287-foot cast-iron dome, designed by architect Thomas U. Walter in 1854 to replace the much shorter copper original, which, to be honest, looked kind of stupid.
—Elle Carroll, Vulture, 12 Apr. 2024
The military resists, but human technology is no match for Martian tripods and death rays.
—Kermit Roosevelt Iii, TIME, 31 May 2024
Lee adds a touch of class (and a superfluous third nipple) to the colorful menagerie of big-screen Bond villains with his solar death ray.
—Chris Nashawaty, EW.com, 29 May 2024
Archimedes’ death ray is more commonly speculated to have been an array of several mirrors or polished shields.
—Taylor Nicioli, CNN, 8 Mar. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Death ray.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/death%20ray. Accessed 26 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share