javelins

noun

plural of javelin
as in spears
a weapon with a long straight handle and sharp head or blade from atop his horse the warrior hurled a javelin that pierced the chest of his hapless foe

Synonyms & Similar 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 javelins Humans have been throwing javelins for a few hundred thousand years, yet performance has largely plateaued. — R. Alexander Bentley, The Conversation, 26 Feb. 2026 The Tofinu took refuge in the lagoons along the Bight of Benin, a core area of the slave trade, venturing forth in canoes with harpoons, javelins, and swords to fight off raiders from powerful nearby kingdoms. — Laurent Dubois, The Atlantic, 6 Jan. 2026 The flowers and ferns of the Mani hills—purple spears, white arrows, feathery javelins—slowly flatten into the horizon. — Antonia Quirke, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 May 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for javelins
  1. spears
  2. lances
Noun
  • After sampling pickle ice cream or pickle beer on the bridge, visitors could step into Market Square and swap jars and spears for engines and steel.
    — Gabby Sartori, USA Today, 20 July 2026
  • The unrest began in mid-March but has intensified, leaving at least three dead as vigilantes armed with spears, clubs, and whips assaulted migrants and destroyed their homes.
    — Lauren Morganbesser, semafor.com, 28 June 2026
Definition of spears
Noun
  • Bottom cleaners use lances to scrape biofoul off hulls.
    — David Goldman, CNN Money, 23 June 2026
  • Um dos lances mais bonitos da nossa história.
    — Stuart James, New York Times, 16 June 2026
Definition of lances

Browse Nearby Words

javelin
javelins
jaw
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Cite this Entry

“Javelins.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/javelins. Accessed 24 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on javelins

Nglish: Translation of javelins for Spanish Speakers

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