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
Dunn wielded his influence through a think tank called the Texas Public Policy Foundation.
—Zach Helfand, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
The Federal Trade Commission and 17 states sued Amazon in 2023, accusing it of wielding its monopoly power to squeeze merchants, resulting in higher prices on rival websites.
—Annie Palmer, CNBC, 20 Apr. 2026
Her The Kindred’s Curse Saga series follows healer Diem Bellator as the search for her missing mother pulls her into a growing civil war between the oppressed mortals of Emarion and the magic-wielding demigods known as the Descended.
—Denise Petski, Deadline, 17 Apr. 2026
Before his death, Mikhail had told sheriff’s deputies that he had been jumped in September by eight gun-wielding individuals, including Elijah, at the YMCA basketball courts near Oak Ridge High School.
—Silas Morgan, The Orlando Sentinel, 16 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for wield
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Zach Helfand, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
The Federal Trade Commission and 17 states sued Amazon in 2023, accusing it of wielding its monopoly power to squeeze merchants, resulting in higher prices on rival websites.
—Annie Palmer, CNBC, 20 Apr. 2026
Her The Kindred’s Curse Saga series follows healer Diem Bellator as the search for her missing mother pulls her into a growing civil war between the oppressed mortals of Emarion and the magic-wielding demigods known as the Descended.
—Denise Petski, Deadline, 17 Apr. 2026
Before his death, Mikhail had told sheriff’s deputies that he had been jumped in September by eight gun-wielding individuals, including Elijah, at the YMCA basketball courts near Oak Ridge High School.
—Silas Morgan, The Orlando Sentinel, 16 Apr. 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 26 Apr. 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
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