weaponize

verb

weap·​on·​ize ˈwe-pə-ˌnīz How to pronounce weaponize (audio)
weaponized; weaponizing

transitive verb

: to adapt for use as a weapon of war
often used figuratively
… the ways people weaponize fear in order to hide their own.Justin Chang
weaponization noun

Examples of weaponize 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.
In Round 1 versus Dallas, Hartman got so far under the skin of one of the Stars’ standouts that Jamie Benn responded with a vicious crosscheck to Hartman’s neck, then pushed him to the ice, where Benn’s stick was weaponized a few more times. Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 9 May 2026 York has weaponized those 2 inches, in turn, into a kind of white-hot lava that his peers at Temple High and Texas A&M have never quite seen before. Luca Evans, Denver Post, 8 May 2026 Lies at scale, weaponized overnight by technology. Lucas Robinson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 May 2026 Your partner weaponizes their incompetence. Joy Harden Bradford, AJC.com, 7 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for weaponize

Word History

First Known Use

1957, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of weaponize was in 1957

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Weaponize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/weaponize. Accessed 13 May. 2026.

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