weapon

noun

weap·on | \ ˈwe-pən

Definition of weapon

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : something (such as a club, knife, or gun) used to injure, defeat, or destroy

2 : a means of contending against another

weapon

verb

weaponed; weaponing; weapons

Definition of weapon (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

: arm

Examples of weapon in a Sentence

Noun

assault with a deadly weapon The pitcher's slider is his most effective weapon. a new weapon in the fight against cancer The mayor's campaign unleashed its secret weapon.

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

The charges include allegations of a prior conviction, causing great bodily injury and using a deadly and dangerous weapon. — Brittny Mejia, latimes.com, "Man charged with murder, attempted murder in connection with West Hollywood knife attack," 12 July 2018 These machines are the expedition’s secret weapons, and much of the scientific impetus for the trip—equipped with special imaging cameras, allowing for highly detailed mapping that helps to identify likely fossil sites. — Jason Harper, Condé Nast Traveler, "On the Hunt for Dinosaur Bones in the Gobi Desert," 20 July 2018 The gun the Parkland shooter used was an AR-15-style semi-automatic weapon bought totally legally with no waiting period in Florida. — Kesha, Teen Vogue, "Kesha on Common Sense Gun Laws and Partnering With March for Our Lives to End Gun Violence," 12 Oct. 2018 Few in Europe and Asia have forgotten that free-market economies were democracy’s greatest weapon in the 20th century, and the entrepreneurs and investors that drive those free markets won’t soon embrace authoritarian control. — James Stavridis, Time, "Democracy Isn't Perfect, But It Will Still Prevail," 12 July 2018 In truth, access to the inaccessible, to the sort of one-of-a-kind experiences that only vast sums of money can buy, has become a fearsome weapon in the experiential wars being waged at the highest levels of luxury. — Horacio Silva, Town & Country, "The Experience Wars: Inside the Furious Fight for the Affections (and Dollars) of the World's Biggest Spenders," 20 Sep. 2018 Waverider technology could still find its way into a hypersonic weapon, military officials have said. — Mike Wall, Space.com, "US Air Force Zooms Ahead on 2 New Hypersonic Weapons Plans," 20 Aug. 2018 Family disputes are often settled with a fight, ideally a fair one-on-one with a referee and no weapons. — The Economist, "A British traveller’s travelogue," 12 July 2018 No weapons were found on the teens, who were ages 13, 13, 14 and 16, the park board said. — Ryan W. Miller, USA TODAY, "A police officer pointed his gun at 4 unarmed, black teens. Now police are investigating," 12 July 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

Each crime fit the same modus operandi including the suspect’s build and weapon description, the report said. — John R. Ellement, BostonGlobe.com, "Boston police arrest suspect in 24 armed robberies," 6 July 2018

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

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Last Updated

15 Apr 2019

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Time Traveler for weapon

The first known use of weapon was before the 12th century

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More Definitions for weapon

weapon

noun

English Language Learners Definition of weapon

: something (such as a gun, knife, club, or bomb) that is used for fighting or attacking someone or for defending yourself when someone is attacking you

: something (such as a skill, idea, or tool) that is used to win a contest or achieve something

See the full definition for weapon in the English Language Learners Dictionary

weapon

noun

weap·on | \ ˈwe-pən