tomahawk

1 of 2

noun

tom·​a·​hawk ˈtä-mi-ˌhȯk How to pronounce tomahawk (audio)
: a light ax used as a missile and as a hand weapon especially by North American Indians

tomahawk

2 of 2

verb

tomahawked; tomahawking; tomahawks

transitive verb

: to cut, strike, or kill with a tomahawk

Examples of tomahawk in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
But this level of luxury comes at a price; Mastro’s Ocean Club is one of Orange County’s pricier affairs, with steaks range from an eight-ounce filet for $69 to a 40-ounce Australian wagyu tomahawk chop for $275. Brock Keeling, Oc Register, 26 Sep. 2025 Specialties will include a 20-ounce bone-in ribe eye, 10-ounce Australian Wagyu and 33-ounce tomahawk rib eye. Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Sep. 2025
Verb
By the end of the night, Torkelson struck out, grabbed his bat with two hands, lifted it over his head and tomahawked it toward the dirt near home plate. Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 24 Sep. 2025 Gallen left another pitch up in the fourth and Albies tomahawked it out to right, tying it at 3. John Marshall, ajc, 4 June 2023 See All Example Sentences for tomahawk

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Virginia Algonquian tomahack

First Known Use

Noun

circa 1612, in the meaning defined above

Verb

circa 1650, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of tomahawk was circa 1612

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tomahawk.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tomahawk. Accessed 2 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

tomahawk

noun
tom·​a·​hawk
ˈtäm-i-ˌhȯk
: a light ax used as a weapon especially by Indigenous people of North America
tomahawk verb

More from Merriam-Webster on tomahawk

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!