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handgun

noun

Definition of handgunnext
as in pistol

Related Words

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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 handgun Ceesay then shot himself with a 9mm handgun and never tried to enter the bar, police said. — ABC News, 2 Sep. 2026 Armed with a handgun, Catherine goes upstairs into Jay’s secret room and finds Emma there, but Alice stops her from shooting. — Kate Aurthur, Variety, 31 Aug. 2026 Investigators said a handgun belonging to Cavazos was found at least 10 yards from his body. — Madison Lambert, NBC news, 30 Aug. 2026 The second, while there were no victims, led to the arrest of a 15-year-old boy who was charged with 33 counts of first-degree wanton endangerment and one count of possession of a handgun by a minor. — Ruby Grisin, Louisville Courier Journal, 30 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for handgun
Recent Examples of Synonyms for handgun
  1. pistol
  2. firearm
  3. revolver
  4. gun
  5. derringer
  6. sidearm
Noun
  • The victim said the assailant then struck his companion in the forehead with the pistol, stole his wallet and ran.
    — Rafael Escalera Montoto, Arkansas Online, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Passengers in the vehicle said that McConnell had acquired a Glock pistol before leaving the party, Russell wrote.
    — Nathan Pilling, Kansas City Star, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of pistol
Noun
  • Suicide remains the 10th leading cause of death in the United States, and CDC data released this year show firearm suicides actually climbed to their highest level on record in 2025, topping 28,000.
    — Courtney Marx, Sun Sentinel, 20 Sep. 2026
  • But after his son Eugene Horsch, 44, was arrested in June on charges involving unlawful firearms and forgery, police made a series of unsettling discoveries at the family home on Chew Avenue in Philly's Olney neighborhood.
    — Michael Ruiz, FOXNews.com, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of firearm
Noun
  • Authorities concluded that Haught had died accidentally while playing Russian roulette with a revolver, but that finding was later questioned.
    — Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2026
  • According to an arrest affidavit filed in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, during the argument, Zion Mitchell, 21, a National Guard member from Georgia, drew his service revolver and pointed it at another soldier.
    — Ava Berger, NPR, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of revolver
Noun
  • Weiss ruled that the open-carry arrest alone wasn’t evidence the gun was used irresponsibly.
    — Romy Ellenbogen Herald, Miami Herald, 14 Sep. 2026
  • As the dust settles, John flees, but Zoe comes with a gun to finish off Hal in the rubble.
    — Joe Otterson, Variety, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of gun
Noun
  • This mysterious derringer pistol has sparked more intrigue than any of his other dangerous finds because people want to know the back story.
    — Mike Sullivan, CBS News, 17 Mar. 2026
  • This victim’s vision seems weird and fraudulent when Priscilla casually color-coordinates derringer pistols with designer dresses.
    — Armond White, National Review, 3 Nov. 2023
Definition of derringer
Noun
  • Video released by Twin Falls police on Friday shows McClain in a white T-shirt vaulting over the counter once the shooting began, drawing his sidearm and returning fire.
    — Mark Dee, Idaho Statesman, 11 Aug. 2026
  • The Indians scored their would-be final goal in the third on a shot from Emery Simmons on a sidearm shot past Bishops’ midfielder Izzy Grundig.
    — Zach McMahon, Boston Herald, 27 May 2026
Definition of sidearm

Browse Nearby Words

handgrips
handgun
handguns
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Cite this Entry

“Handgun.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/handgun. Accessed 21 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on handgun

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about handgun

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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