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
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Both men have been arraigned in 37th District Court in Warren with nine charges each of weapons – firearms – devices to convert semiautomatic to automatic, along with one charge each of weapons – felony firearm, the sheriff's office said.
—
Paula Wethington, CBS News, 12 June 2026
According to Schubert, during his second arrest, Weathers was in possession of a semiautomatic handgun in the vicinity of Del Paso Heights Elementary School when riding down the wrong side of the street on a bicycle.
—Reeti Malhotra, Sacbee.com, 1 June 2026
Authorities recovered a silver .25 caliber semiautomatic pistol and 14 rounds of ammunition, officials said.
—Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 27 May 2026
Cole Tomas Allen, who authorities say rushed a banquet room at the White House correspondents’ dinner on Saturday night, had legally bought a 12-gauge shotgun at the Turner’s location in his hometown of Torrance, as well as a semiautomatic pistol at CAP Tactical Firearms in neighboring Lawndale.
—Connor Sheets, Los Angeles Times, 28 Apr. 2026
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Paula Wethington, CBS News, 12 June 2026
According to Schubert, during his second arrest, Weathers was in possession of a semiautomatic handgun in the vicinity of Del Paso Heights Elementary School when riding down the wrong side of the street on a bicycle.
—Reeti Malhotra, Sacbee.com, 1 June 2026
Authorities recovered a silver .25 caliber semiautomatic pistol and 14 rounds of ammunition, officials said.
—Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 27 May 2026
Cole Tomas Allen, who authorities say rushed a banquet room at the White House correspondents’ dinner on Saturday night, had legally bought a 12-gauge shotgun at the Turner’s location in his hometown of Torrance, as well as a semiautomatic pistol at CAP Tactical Firearms in neighboring Lawndale.
—Connor Sheets, Los Angeles Times, 28 Apr. 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 18 Jun. 2026.
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