Illustration of sword
- 1 pommel
- 2 hilt
- 3 guard
- 4 blade
often attributive
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
2
a
: an agency or instrument of destruction or combat
b
: the use of force
The pen is mightier than the sword.—
Edward G. Bulwer-Lytton
Edward G. Bulwer-Lytton3
: coercive power
4
: something that resembles a sword
see also:
Examples of sword in a Sentence
once upon a time dueling with swords was the gentlemanly way to settle a point of honor
Recent Examples on the Web
Carlo’s friend Rodrigo persuades him to take up the Flemish cause with Philip, leading to a sword-threatening confrontation.
—Scott Cantrell, Dallas Morning News, 28 Feb. 2026
According to Textron Systems, the loitering munition, ominously named after the Damocles of the Ancient Greek parable of the dangling sword, enables top-attack capabilities with its VTOL configuration.
—Chris Young, Interesting Engineering, 27 Feb. 2026
With the help of an archaeologist from a Philadelphia university, the short swords and arrowheads were authenticated as antiquities dating back to 1600-1000 BCE from the southwestern Caspian Sea near the Talish Mountains region of Iran, CBP said.
—Tom Dougherty, CBS News, 27 Feb. 2026
The two heavyweights have already crossed swords once this campaign, with City mounting a comeback to beat record 15-times European champions Real 2-1 in December’s group stage match.
—Reuters, NBC news, 27 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sword
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Scott Cantrell, Dallas Morning News, 28 Feb. 2026
According to Textron Systems, the loitering munition, ominously named after the Damocles of the Ancient Greek parable of the dangling sword, enables top-attack capabilities with its VTOL configuration.
—Chris Young, Interesting Engineering, 27 Feb. 2026
With the help of an archaeologist from a Philadelphia university, the short swords and arrowheads were authenticated as antiquities dating back to 1600-1000 BCE from the southwestern Caspian Sea near the Talish Mountains region of Iran, CBP said.
—Tom Dougherty, CBS News, 27 Feb. 2026
The two heavyweights have already crossed swords once this campaign, with City mounting a comeback to beat record 15-times European champions Real 2-1 in December’s group stage match.
—Reuters, NBC news, 27 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sword
Cite this Entry
“Sword.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sword. Accessed 7 Mar. 2026.
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