grenade

noun

gre·​nade grə-ˈnād 

: a small missile that contains an explosive or a chemical agent (such as tear gas, a flame producer, or a smoke producer) and that is thrown by hand or projected (as by a rifle or special launcher)

Examples of grenade in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In an Instagram post, the APA said the resident purchased several boxes at the estate sale and discovered what appeared to be WWII-era grenades while going through them. — Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 7 Nov. 2026

Back in the present, Williams pre-empts any response from Eleanor, opting instead to throw a smoke grenade to provide visual cover for their escape. — Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 5 Nov. 2026

Last month, a 15-year-old was maimed by a sting ball grenade fired by police and a 14-year-old suffered a jaw fracture in a similar incident. — Zacharie Petit, NBC news, 5 Nov. 2026

The fire broke out during a high-intensity training exercise with live munitions, including hand grenades, on a military base in Wainwright, Alberta, Kevin Maimann reports for CBC News. — Noah Haggerty, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle French, literally, pomegranate, from Late Latin granata, from Latin, feminine of granatus seedy, from granum grain — more at corn

First Known Use

1591, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing grenade

• concussion grenade
• flash-bang grenade
• flash grenade
• fragmentation grenade
• smoke grenade
• stun grenade

Rhymes for grenade

• afraid
• allayed
• arcade
• arrayed
• assayed
• barmaid
• betrayed
• blockade
• bridesmaid
• brigade
• brocade
• buffeted

Kids Definition

grenade

noun

gre·​nade grə-ˈnād 

: a small bomb that is thrown by hand or launched (as by a rifle)

Etymology

from early French grenade, granade "pomegranate, grenade," from Latin granata "pomegranate," derived from Latin granatus "seedy," from granum "grain, seed" — related to garnet, grain, pomegranate see Word History at garnet