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
In the photo, the Temple Israel synagogue attacker, Ayman Mohamad Ghazali, is wearing all black with a black and white scarf and is holding what appears to be a semiautomatic rifle with a scope attached.
—
Camilo Montoya-Galvez, CBS News, 19 Mar. 2026
Earlier that year, BSO seized Nathan’s 12 firearms, including semiautomatic shotguns, rifles and handguns, six suppressors and 660 rounds of ammunition.
—Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 13 Mar. 2026
Ivanna Ortiz, 35, was also charged with 10 counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm and three felony counts of shooting at an inhabited dwelling or camper, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office.
—Dennis Romero, NBC news, 11 Mar. 2026
During the arrests, officers recovered an AR-style firearm and an unserialized black semiautomatic handgun believed to have been used in the shooting.
—Sydney Barragan, Oc Register, 4 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for semiautomatic
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Camilo Montoya-Galvez, CBS News, 19 Mar. 2026
Earlier that year, BSO seized Nathan’s 12 firearms, including semiautomatic shotguns, rifles and handguns, six suppressors and 660 rounds of ammunition.
—Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 13 Mar. 2026
Ivanna Ortiz, 35, was also charged with 10 counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm and three felony counts of shooting at an inhabited dwelling or camper, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office.
—Dennis Romero, NBC news, 11 Mar. 2026
During the arrests, officers recovered an AR-style firearm and an unserialized black semiautomatic handgun believed to have been used in the shooting.
—Sydney Barragan, Oc Register, 4 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 27 Mar. 2026.
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