wielded; wielding; wields
1
chiefly dialectal
: to deal successfully with : manage
2
: to handle (something, such as a tool) especially effectively
wield a broom
3
a
: to exert one's authority by means of
wield influence
b
: to have at one's command or disposal
… did not wield appropriate credentials …—
G. W. Bonham
G. W. Bonham
wielder
noun
Examples of wield in a Sentence
The man was wielding a gun.
Can he wield a hammer?
He wields a great deal of influence over his students.
Recent Examples on the Web
Maurizio Cattelan, who also wielded a banana with profound memetic effectiveness, is one of the few other artists whose work has this kind of stickiness, but his recent sculptures have leaned more on the public’s appetite for stunts, whereas Rødland plumbs more mysterious depths.
—Chris Wiley, New Yorker, 28 Mar. 2026
The exterior portion of a $1 billion revamp of the more than 30-year-old Honda Center broke ground Thursday, March 26, with city and community leaders donning orange vests and wielding shovels to celebrate.
—Victoria Le, Oc Register, 27 Mar. 2026
Separately, the indictment says, Rivera also met that same day in New York with Sessions and Venezuelan Foreign Minister Delcy Rodríguez, who wielded tremendous influence over Venezuela’s oil industry.
—Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 27 Mar. 2026
Citizenship should not function as a political tool wielded by temporary officeholders seeking to alter the electorate’s demographics.
—Carlos De Loera, Los Angeles Times, 27 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for wield
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.
Chris Wiley, New Yorker, 28 Mar. 2026
The exterior portion of a $1 billion revamp of the more than 30-year-old Honda Center broke ground Thursday, March 26, with city and community leaders donning orange vests and wielding shovels to celebrate.
—Victoria Le, Oc Register, 27 Mar. 2026
Separately, the indictment says, Rivera also met that same day in New York with Sessions and Venezuelan Foreign Minister Delcy Rodríguez, who wielded tremendous influence over Venezuela’s oil industry.
—Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 27 Mar. 2026
Citizenship should not function as a political tool wielded by temporary officeholders seeking to alter the electorate’s demographics.
—Carlos De Loera, Los Angeles Times, 27 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for wield
Cite this Entry
“Wield.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wield. Accessed 29 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
wield
verb1
: to put (as a tool) to good use
wield a broom
2
: to use one's authority by means of
wield influence
wielder
noun
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
