Definition of ordnancenext
as in guns
large firearms (as cannons or rockets) the army is waiting for the heavy ordnance to be brought in

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 ordnance The department received additional penalties for improperly documenting training, failing to identify and evaluate the hazards of transporting and storing the ordnance, and leaving explosives unattended. Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 1 Apr. 2026 As the ordnance exploded over the federal installation in Charleston Harbor on April 12, 1861, the Civil War began. Bill Steiden, Des Moines Register, 24 Mar. 2026 The site is closed to tourism due to unstable walls and concern about the presence of unexploded ordnance. ABC News, 23 Mar. 2026 Pan captured 243 photographs and 13 videos of payload-processing facilities, munitions bunkers, security checkpoints, mission-control centers, fuel and ordnance storage sites, and the nuclear submarine wharf. Adam Ciralsky, Vanity Fair, 19 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for ordnance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ordnance
Noun
  • Federal prosecutors alleged that the suspects held guns while standing on both sides of the car and demanded that the victim hand over the cash.
    Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 5 June 2026
  • As a result, researchers have found, firearms are discussed in fewer than 1 in 4 protective-order hearings nationwide, and courts order abusers to surrender their guns in 66% of applicable cases.
    Sativa Banks, The Conversation, 4 June 2026
Noun
  • Mexican authorities have previously expressed fears they could be used as weapons by rowdy fans.
    Michael Rios, CNN Money, 7 June 2026
  • The company revealed that the fuze upgrades launch platforms into low-cost, effective counter-unmanned aerial system weapons to enhance reliable detonation at the optimal impact.
    Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 6 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Ordnance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ordnance. Accessed 11 Jun. 2026.

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