assault rifle

noun

Definition of assault riflenext
as in assault weapon

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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 assault rifle The need for any person to openly brandish a sidearm or a person to carry an assault rifle on his shoulder is absolute insanity. — Dan Sweeney, Sun Sentinel, 22 Sep. 2026 The arrest Saturday of a Florida man who was allegedly carrying an assault rifle in his luggage offered a stark reminder of the challenges facing the country. — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 19 Sep. 2026 Colin Gray, the father who gifted his teen son the assault rifle used in the deadly mass shooting at Georgia’s Apalachee High School, was sentenced to 15 years in prison. — Daniela Suarez, NBC news, 31 July 2026 Colin Gray, 55, admitted to providing the assault rifle used by his then-14-year-old son in the September 2024 shooting at Apalachee High School, which killed two students and two teachers. — Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 30 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for assault rifle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for assault rifle
  1. assault weapon
  2. machine gun
  3. submachine gun
  4. machine pistol
  5. tommy gun
  6. rifle
Noun
  • Durkin clashed with Pritzker over taxes and criminal justice issues but worked with him on a budget and capital construction plan during the governor’s first year and voted for his 2023 assault weapon ban.
    — Dan Petrella, Chicago Tribune, 30 Oct. 2026
  • However, even in semi-automatic firing mode, the assault weapon is destructive and usually retains other military features.
    — Robert Spitzer, The Conversation, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of assault weapon
Noun
  • The teen, who has not been identified by police, has been charged with murder and possession of a machine gun conversion device, the Birmingham Police Department said on Monday.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Nov. 2026
  • And that was all the time the boy standing behind the machine gun needed.
    — Ron Farina, Hartford Courant, 1 Nov. 2026
Definition of machine gun
Noun
  • On the roof, a three-year-old boy from Chile plays with a toy submachine gun, pointing it at anyone who comes within range.
    — Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 27 Feb. 2026
  • Police learned Pyles owns a handgun and a submachine gun, according to charging documents.
    — Jose R. Gonzalez, AZCentral.com, 20 Aug. 2025
Definition of submachine gun
Noun
  • One casing is a 9mm caliber, likely a pistol, or a machine pistol or a submachine gun, Weir said.
    — Mohammad Al Sawalhi, CNN, 26 June 2024
  • Deputies also allegedly found a MAC-10 machine pistol and a 9 mm handgun under the passenger seat.
    — Jason Green, The Mercury News, 19 Aug. 2019
Definition of machine pistol
Noun
  • Gunfire disrupts the silence as Raya emerges through smoke, armed with a tommy gun.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 8 Jan. 2026
  • Gauging from the trailer, this grisly period piece appears to be set in the South with Jordan starring in a dual role as a pair of twins, at least one of whom gets to spray bullets with a retro tommy gun.
    — Meredith Blake, Los Angeles Times, 1 Jan. 2025
Definition of tommy gun
Noun
  • Chrinos was charged with carrying a rifle outside a home or business, three counts of unlawful transportation of a firearm, three counts of unregistered firearms and three counts of unregistered ammunition, DHS said.
    — Kyla Guilfoil, NBC news, 7 Nov. 2026
  • Katarzyna Cisło, a Krakow police spokesperson, told ABC News the suspect was wearing military-style camouflage clothing, though not an official military uniform, and was reportedly armed with an AR-15-style rifle.
    — Somayeh Malekian, ABC News, 7 Nov. 2026
Definition of rifle

Browse Nearby Words

assaultiveness
assault rifle
assault rifles
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Cite this Entry

“Assault rifle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/assault%20rifle. Accessed 11 Nov. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on assault rifle

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about assault rifle

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