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Definition of sword
1 : a weapon (such as a cutlass or rapier) with a long blade for cutting or thrusting that is often used as a symbol of honor or authority
2a : an agency or instrument of destruction or combat
b : the use of force the pen is mightier than the sword— E. G. Bulwer-Lytton
3 : coercive power
4 : something that resembles a sword
: mutually antagonistic : ready to fight
Illustration of sword
sword 1: 1 pommel, 2 hilt, 3 guard, 4 blade
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Other Words from sword
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adjective
Examples of sword in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Champagne bottles are sabered open with swords and free Lexus shuttles stop for anyone who doesn’t feel like walking more than a block. — Trevor Hughes, USA TODAY, "Diamonds, caviar and the Instagram-famous: Inside America's most exclusive food festival," 19 June 2018 Police also killed a woman wielding a sword in the Northland. — Max Londberg, kansascity, "'You could see bullets flying': Video, witness depict downtown KC police shooting," 15 June 2018 Like a sword in a stone, the beam angles from the top of the tower through the red-tiled roof of an adjacent former warehouse, anchoring in the floor below. — Michael Kimmelman, New York Times, "Shape-Shifting Art Tower Completes Prada’s City Within a City," 15 June 2018 Lana Del Rey, 32, had a heart chest piece pierces with swords often adorned on renderings of a mourning Mary, mother of Jesus. — Dave Quinn, PEOPLE.com, "The Met Gala's 'Catholic Imagination' Theme Called 'Blasphemous' and 'Sacrilegious' by Critics," 8 May 2018 The sword, too, was damaged in the 1970s, Lynch said. — Kimberly Fornek, chicagotribune.com, "Hinsdale American Legion restoring statue with new medallion, nearly 90 years after original was stolen," 10 July 2018 The arm's hand grips a curved sword, with blood dripping from it. — Adam Fisher, WIRED, "A Landmark Legal Shift Opens Pandora’s Box for DIY Guns," 10 July 2018 Practitioners spend hours in costumes that evoke military traditions, learning Russian military history and fencing with sharp swords, including foils, epees and sabres. — Mauricio Savarese, Fox News, "World Cup host set for historical fencing to forget soccer," 1 July 2018 Forum is often a big production, all flashing swords, swirling togas, and elaborate sets, as in the great version at the Walnut Street Theatre last fall. — John Timpane, Philly.com, "Princeton Festival presents a wild, tuneful, stripped-down 'Forum'," 12 June 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'sword.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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Statistics for sword
Last Updated
4 Nov 2018
Look-up Popularity
Time Traveler for sword
The first known use of sword was before the 12th century
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More Definitions for sword
sword
noun
English Language Learners Definition of sword
: a weapon with a long metal blade that has a sharp point and edge
See the full definition for sword in the English Language Learners Dictionary
sword
noun
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Kids Definition of sword
: a weapon having a long blade usually with a sharp point and edge
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