ghost gun

noun

plural ghost guns

: a gun that lacks a serial number by which it can be identified and that is typically assembled by the user (as from purchased or homemade components)

Ghost guns, cobbled together with various parts often purchased separately, are popular among hobbyists and firearms enthusiasts.—

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

The issue centers on so-called ghost guns, which consist of untraceable parts that can be ordered online and then, with a little finishing work, assembled into a working firearm.—

Los Angeles Times

Even so, they haven't been outlawed; buying or selling a ghost gun is illegal, but making one remains kosher under US gun control laws.—

Andy Greenberg

Examples of ghost gun in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Company has been sued over conduct at gun shows The Supreme Court in October allowed the Biden Administration to continue regulating ghost guns as firearms under federal law. —

Emma Tucker, CNN, 15 Mar. 2024 Thirteen states currently regulate ghost guns, according to Everytown's research arm. —

Detroit Free Press, 12 Mar. 2024 The company also has to submit quarterly reports documenting all sales of ghost guns in neighboring states, according to city officials. —

Lea Skene, Quartz, 21 Feb. 2024 The city ban attempted to fill a hole in state and federal legislation that addressed manufacture, trade and assembly of ghost guns but did not ban their possession. —

Ethan Baron, The Mercury News, 20 Feb. 2024 Using a flashlight, the deputy looked into her vehicle and spotted a gun, which was later determined to be a non-serialized firearm, which are sometimes called ghost guns. —

Karen Kucher, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Feb. 2024 Since 2021, more ghost guns have been recovered in Queens than in any other New York City borough. —

Christopher Cann, USA TODAY, 30 Jan. 2024 Bragg said his office has brought prosecution related to the seizures of 93 ghost gun parts, 66 ghost guns and firearms, 428 high-capacity magazines and 47 silencers. —

Danielle Wallace, Fox News, 27 Sep. 2023 On Thursday, officers raided the residence and seized two guns, material for making firearms and the 3-D printing machine allegedly used to create the ghost guns. —

Ethan Baron, The Mercury News, 20 Feb. 2024

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