handgun

noun

hand·​gun ˈhan(d)-ˌgən How to pronounce handgun (audio)
Synonyms of handgunnext
: a firearm (such as a revolver or pistol) designed to be held and fired with one hand

Examples of handgun in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
After locating handgun ammunition in the SUV, Burbank PD used a helicopter and police dog named Spike to locate Alas along a steep embankment along the freeway. Matthew Rodriguez, CBS News, 8 Jan. 2026 The container had 18 rifles, five handguns, firearms magazines, over 36,000 rounds of ammunition and a silencer that had been shipped from Miami. Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 7 Jan. 2026 He was charged, along with two others, with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, discharging a handgun within 500 feet of a dwelling and unlicensed possession of a firearm. Tim Dunn, Boston Herald, 7 Jan. 2026 Prosecutors said her husband’s own handgun was among the weapons in the gun safe. Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 7 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for handgun

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Handgun.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/handgun. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.

Kids Definition

handgun

noun
hand·​gun ˈhan(d)-ˌgən How to pronounce handgun (audio)
: a firearm designed to be held and fired with one hand

More from Merriam-Webster on handgun

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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