arms 1 of 3

Definition of armsnext
plural of arm

arms

2 of 3

noun (2)

plural of arm
1
as in departments
a large unit of a governmental, business, or educational organization a company that needs to beef up its marketing arm if it wants to compete in today's business world

Synonyms & Similar Words

2
as in bays
a part of a body of water that extends beyond the general shoreline this arm of the Atlantic is surprisingly peaceful, as the stronger ocean currents do not reach this far

Synonyms & Similar Words

3
as in capes
an area of land that juts out into a body of water Maine has so many long, narrow arms that jut out into the ocean that early coastal settlers found it much easier to travel by sea

Synonyms & Similar Words

4

arms

3 of 3

verb

present tense third-person singular of arm

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of arms
Noun
Also during the robbery, at least one of the intruders reportedly brandished a gun at a security guard while another member of the group held his arms and took him to the ground. Robert Salonga, Mercury News, 14 Jan. 2026 Like items such as bowls or containers will nest, and the sprayer arms may not be able to reach some items well enough to clean them. Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 13 Jan. 2026 In addition to posing with her boyfriend’s new Golden Globe statue in her arms, the cosmetics maven snapped mirror selfies with his Marty Supreme co-star Odessa A'zion in the bathroom while showing off her sparkling outfit. Lara Walsh, InStyle, 13 Jan. 2026 But after more than an hour, agents held down Zapata Rivera’s arms. Nicole Foy, ProPublica, 13 Jan. 2026 When one of the agents tries to grab a protester by the arms and take them into custody, the others try to stop him. Greta Bjornson, PEOPLE, 13 Jan. 2026 Be sure to cover your head and neck with your arms, and crawl under a sturdy table if possible. Ca Earthquake Bot, Sacbee.com, 13 Jan. 2026 Three agents are then seen carrying the man away from the scene by his arms and one of his legs. Sophia Compton, FOXNews.com, 12 Jan. 2026 The rash generally appears three to five days after the first symptoms, beginning as flat red spots on the face and then spreading downward to the neck, trunk, arms, legs, and feet. Dan Raby, CBS News, 12 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for arms
Verb
  • That night, Pam fortifies herself with a few drinks and answers when the phone rings.
    Allegra Goodman, New Yorker, 4 Jan. 2026
  • The Supreme Court’s 6-3 conservative majority regularly fortifies religious rights, but the justices have also been wary of expanding government officials’ exposure to damages in their individual capacities.
    Zach Schonfeld, The Hill, 10 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Set against a cross-country journey along iconic Route 66, the series blends competition, storytelling, and real-world impact as the country prepares to mark the 250th anniversary of the United States, the 100th Anniversary of Route 66, and other defining cultural moments in 2026, per The CW.
    Denise Petski, Deadline, 13 Jan. 2026
  • New hotels, culinary destinations and shopping spots are reshaping the map of Florence, as the city prepares to host another edition of Pitti Uomo.
    Andrea Onate, Footwear News, 13 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • This single fine is close to the normal total of $8 million to $10 million in all fines that the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration hands out each year.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 7 Jan. 2026
  • Boston Public Health Commissioner Bisola Ojikutu revealed in September that the city hands out more than 80,000 needles per month to drug users.
    Lance Reynolds, Boston Herald, 8 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • When a team allots minutes to so many young players simultaneously, lapses in concentration and on-court mistakes are bound to happen.
    Josh Robbins, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Rob Hale, founder and CEO of telecommunications company Granite Communications, annually doles out $1,000 checks to local recent college graduates in Massachusetts.
    Sydney Lake, Fortune, 29 Dec. 2025
  • In total, the New York City Marathon doles out $969,000 in prize money, including $534,000 total to the men’s and women’s top-10 finishers, and $118,000 total to the top-five American finishers.
    Bette Canter, Sportico.com, 2 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Decathlon specially manufactures shoes for him that are identical except for one key trait—heel-toe drop, say—and then Malisoux randomly assigns them to runners and monitors their injury rates.
    Outside, Outside, 30 Dec. 2025
  • Once a petition is filed, a clerk receives it, assigns a case number, and sends it to a judge or court.
    Jade Jackson, IndyStar, 29 Dec. 2025
Verb
  • The current budget also allocates $777,099,000 for Child Care Services.
    Center Square, The Washington Examiner, 3 Jan. 2026
  • Alongside the tax cuts, the same bill allocates significant new funding, including $150 billion for the Pentagon and $170 billion for immigration enforcement to expand ICE staffing, raids, and deportations.
    Richie Duchon, NBC news, 30 Dec. 2025
Verb
  • This position distributes weight evenly across the body, reducing localized pressure and muscular tension.
    Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 9 Jan. 2026
  • During wildfires, users can share snapshots with Watch Duty, a nonprofit that distributes real-time fire alerts to communities and authorities.
    Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 8 Jan. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Arms.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/arms. Accessed 15 Jan. 2026.

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