disarm

verb

dis·​arm dis-ˈärm How to pronounce disarm (audio)
diz-,
ˈdis-ˌärm
disarmed; disarming; disarms

transitive verb

1
a
: to deprive of means, reason, or disposition to be hostile
disarmed criticism by admitting her errors
b
: to win over
2
a
: to divest of arms
disarm captured troops
b
: to deprive of a means of attack or defense
disarm a ship
c
: to make harmless
disarm a bomb

intransitive verb

1
: to lay aside arms
2
: to give up or reduce armed forces
disarmament noun
disarmer noun

Examples of disarm in a Sentence

The government has been unsuccessful at disarming the rebels. The terrorists have refused to disarm. It took more than an hour to disarm the bomb.
Recent Examples on the Web In a March 4 statement by the Los Angeles Police Department, officers warn that a group in Wilshire is using Wi-Fi jamming technology to disarm surveillance cameras and alarm systems that rely on Wi-Fi. Julia Daye, Sacramento Bee, 5 Mar. 2024 Moreover, the persuasive power of humility in leadership lies in its ability to disarm, engender respect, and facilitate collaboration. Kwame Christian, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2024 Two Los Angeles police officers tried to intervene when a colleague intentionally struck a knife-wielding man with a department SUV last year in an attempt to disarm the man — a maneuver that the civilian Police Commission has now ruled was a clear violation of LAPD policy. Libor Jany, Los Angeles Times, 17 Feb. 2024 And yet, at nearly every turn, Dexter draws Emma back into his orbit with disarming vulnerability and effervescent charm—a feat few could pull off as well as Woodall, who embodies the essence of a ‘90s Hugh Grant protagonist. Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 8 Feb. 2024 The Russian innovation makes the weapon more difficult to locate and disarm, and more challenging to remove once combat has ended. Julie Tsirkin, NBC News, 20 Feb. 2024 Lopez was unarmed but still attempted to rush the men and either disarm them or push them from the residence. Nate Gartrell, The Mercury News, 19 Feb. 2024 Colbert and Keith summoned the specific cognitive skills of resilience to disarm the threat of incivility and connect respectfully across their differences. Jan Bruce, Forbes, 14 Feb. 2024 The Admiral Schley’s High Ball is a lovely and disarming drink, the bright fruit of the pineapple teasing out the honeyed brightness of the dessert wine, with the mild oak from the Irish Whiskey providing structure, a kind of a gentle but present backbone. Jason O'Bryan, Robb Report, 10 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'disarm.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English desarmen, literally, to divest of arms, from Anglo-French desarmer, from des- dis- + armer to arm

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of disarm was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near disarm

Cite this Entry

“Disarm.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disarm. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

disarm

verb
dis·​arm (ˈ)dis-ˈärm How to pronounce disarm (audio)
1
: to take weapons from
disarm a prisoner
2
: to reduce the size and strength of the armed forces of a country
3
: to make harmless, peaceable, or friendly : remove dislike or suspicion
a disarming smile
disarmament noun

More from Merriam-Webster on disarm

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