switchblade

noun

switch·​blade ˈswich-ˌblād How to pronounce switchblade (audio)
: a pocketknife having the blade spring-operated so that pressure on a release catch causes it to fly open

called also switchblade knife

Examples of switchblade in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web During the struggle, the assailant pulled out a switchblade and slashed the man in the forearm before running out of the station. Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 12 July 2024 As fists and switchblades fly, the combatants take turns invading each other’s dance spaces, leaping and jabbing with grace and athleticism. Vikram Murthi, Vulture, 4 Mar. 2024 He had been convicted in January for a range of offenses including possession of a switchblade knife, being armed with a weapon with an intention to commit an indictable offense, stalking, intimidation, and damaging property, ABC reported. Mark Baker and Rod McGuirk, The Christian Science Monitor, 17 Apr. 2024 The glory days when Vivian Gornick and Ellen Willis were dissecting the gender politics of everyday life, Stanley Crouch was turning cultural polemics into a new form of jazz and James Wolcott was sharpening his all-purpose critical switchblade may have been over. Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2024 See all Example Sentences for switchblade 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'switchblade.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1932, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of switchblade was in 1932

Dictionary Entries Near switchblade

Cite this Entry

“Switchblade.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/switchblade. Accessed 26 Jul. 2024.

Kids Definition

switchblade

noun
switch·​blade -ˌblād How to pronounce switchblade (audio)
: a pocketknife with a spring-operated blade
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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