semiautomatic
adjective
semi·au·to·mat·ic
ˌse-mē-ˌȯ-tə-ˈma-tik 
ˌse-ˌmī-,
-mi-
: not fully automatic: such as
a
: operated partly automatically and partly by hand
b
of a firearm
: able to fire repeatedly through an automatic reloading process but requiring release and another pressure of the trigger for each successive shot
a semiautomatic rifle
semiautomatic
noun
Examples of semiautomatic in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Following the July 4, 2022, shooting in Highland Park that resulted in seven dead and nearly 50 wounded, Illinois passed the 2023 law banning high-capacity magazines, auto sears and more than 100 types of semiautomatic rifles, handguns and shotguns.
—
Jack O'Connor, Chicago Tribune, 8 Apr. 2026
The semiautomatic handgun deputies say the boy was carrying was reported stolen in July, the report states.
—David Goodhue
april 3, Miami Herald, 3 Apr. 2026
These gadgets, imported from China or Russia or homemade in the US with 3D printers, transform a semiautomatic weapon—which fires a single round with each trigger pull—into a fully automatic one, able to discharge at a rate of 1,200 rounds per minute, limited only by the capacity of the magazine.
—Simon Akam, Vanity Fair, 2 Apr. 2026
The man had brown eyes, short hair, was clean shaven and had a semiautomatic handgun on his waistband, police said.
—Jessica Flores, San Francisco Chronicle, 30 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for semiautomatic
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Jack O'Connor, Chicago Tribune, 8 Apr. 2026
The semiautomatic handgun deputies say the boy was carrying was reported stolen in July, the report states.
—David Goodhue
april 3, Miami Herald, 3 Apr. 2026
These gadgets, imported from China or Russia or homemade in the US with 3D printers, transform a semiautomatic weapon—which fires a single round with each trigger pull—into a fully automatic one, able to discharge at a rate of 1,200 rounds per minute, limited only by the capacity of the magazine.
—Simon Akam, Vanity Fair, 2 Apr. 2026
The man had brown eyes, short hair, was clean shaven and had a semiautomatic handgun on his waistband, police said.
—Jessica Flores, San Francisco Chronicle, 30 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for semiautomatic
Cite this Entry
“Semiautomatic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/semiautomatic. Accessed 9 Apr. 2026.
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