unarmed

adjective

Save Word

un·armed | \ ˌən-ˈärmd

Definition of unarmed

1 : not armed or armored unarmed civilians also : not using or involving a weapon unarmed robbery

2 : having no hard and sharp projections (such as spines, spurs, or claws)

Examples of unarmed in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Lawyers for the family have asserted that Mr. Brown, 42, was unarmed at the time. — Richard Fausset, New York Times, "Andrew Brown Jr.’s Family Speaks Following Private Autopsy," 27 Apr. 2021 Police said Murrietta-Golding was unarmed at the time he was shot. — Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, "Fresno, California, settles 2 police shooting lawsuits for nearly $10 million," 25 Apr. 2021 Most killings of unarmed Black people by the police won't have that. — Charles M. Blow New York Times, Star Tribune, "The battle of 38th Street is over," 24 Apr. 2021 Harry Daniels, an attorney for the victim’s family, said Brown — whose death triggered peaceful demonstrations of hundreds over two nights — was unarmed at the time of shooting. — Washington Post, "After a Black man was killed by police in North Carolina, a community calls for authorities to release the body-cam footage," 23 Apr. 2021 The New York Times omitted a line from George Floyd attorney Ben Crump that claimed Ma’Khia Bryant, the 16-year-old Columbus girl fatally shot by police Tuesday, was unarmed at the time of her shooting. — Michael Lee, Washington Examiner, "New York Times omits line from Floyd attorney saying Ma’Khia Bryant was 'unarmed' when fatally shot by police," 21 Apr. 2021 Unfortunately, police will continue to kill unarmed Black people. — Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "The Derek Chauvin verdict: What thought leaders in Wisconsin and across the U.S. are saying," 21 Apr. 2021 In recent years, two police officers in Dallas County who killed unarmed Black people in separate cases were convicted of murder. — Los Angeles Times, "Derek Chauvin is guilty of murdering George Floyd," 20 Apr. 2021 The modern debate over police reform dates back to the 1970s when Dallas police officers killed two unarmed young people — Michael Morehead, who was black, and Santos Rodriguez, who was Latino. — Dallas News, "‘Not enough’: Dallas activists, elected officials say more still to be done after conviction of George Floyd’s killer," 20 Apr. 2021

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'unarmed.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.