gunpowder

noun

gun·​pow·​der ˈgən-ˌpau̇-dər How to pronounce gunpowder (audio)
: an explosive mixture of potassium nitrate, charcoal, and sulfur used in gunnery and blasting
broadly : any of various powders used in guns as propelling charges

Examples of gunpowder in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Kovalenko claimed that the Tambov gunpowder plant had been forced to suspend operations by the strike. David Brennan, ABC News, 11 June 2025 The remains were found while excavators searched around the grounds of a Revolutionary War-era gunpowder magazine, or storage facility, according to The Associated Press. Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 11 June 2025 The facilities struck in early morning attacks were a plant in the Chuvash Republic, which produces navigation systems for Russian drones and missiles, and a gunpowder factory in Kazan, according to local reports. Isabel Van Brugen, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 June 2025 And an angry crowd gathers in front of the palace to demand that Dunmore return the gunpowder to the colonists. Ari Daniel, Smithsonian Magazine, 17 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for gunpowder

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

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

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Cite this Entry

“Gunpowder.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gunpowder. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

gunpowder

noun
gun·​pow·​der -ˌpau̇d-ər How to pronounce gunpowder (audio)
: an explosive mixture used in guns and blasting

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