1
as in arms
something used to defend
Concealed weapons were not allowed in the building.
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2
as in tools
a person or thing that is used to produce a result
Poetry was her weapon of choice in the writing contest.
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of weapons
Deni Ellis Béchard, Scientific American, 21 Feb. 2026
The exercise was carried out by the 62nd Airlift Wing, the only US Air Force unit certified to routinely transport US nuclear weapons to ensure both safety and security.
—David Szondy
february 21, New Atlas, 21 Feb. 2026
Police suspected there were more weapons used in the shooting.
—Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today, 21 Feb. 2026
But that can be dangerous if people mistake the toy pistols for real weapons, police said.
—Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 20 Feb. 2026
Universities invest in Israeli weapons companies used by both ICE and the IDF.
—Literary Hub, 20 Feb. 2026
The Washington Herald detailed in 1929 a pattern of reckless use of force, with prohibition agents shooting at the tires of escaping cars and accidentally firing weapons.
—Richard F. Hamm, The Conversation, 20 Feb. 2026
That material is just a short step away from weapons-grade 90%-enriched uranium.
—Joe Walsh, CBS News, 20 Feb. 2026
The government brought forward major reforms and bans on assault-style weapons after the country suffered its worst-ever shooting attack in 2020, when a man impersonating a police officer killed 22 people in northern Nova Scotia.
—Max Saltman, CNN Money, 15 Feb. 2026
Noun
Regarding Anthropic’s other red line, autonomous weapons, the definition is narrow enough to be manageable—systems that select and engage targets without human supervision.
—Deni Ellis Béchard, Scientific American, 21 Feb. 2026
The exercise was carried out by the 62nd Airlift Wing, the only US Air Force unit certified to routinely transport US nuclear weapons to ensure both safety and security.
—David Szondy
february 21, New Atlas, 21 Feb. 2026
Police suspected there were more weapons used in the shooting.
—Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today, 21 Feb. 2026
But that can be dangerous if people mistake the toy pistols for real weapons, police said.
—Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 20 Feb. 2026
Universities invest in Israeli weapons companies used by both ICE and the IDF.
—Literary Hub, 20 Feb. 2026
The Washington Herald detailed in 1929 a pattern of reckless use of force, with prohibition agents shooting at the tires of escaping cars and accidentally firing weapons.
—Richard F. Hamm, The Conversation, 20 Feb. 2026
That material is just a short step away from weapons-grade 90%-enriched uranium.
—Joe Walsh, CBS News, 20 Feb. 2026
The government brought forward major reforms and bans on assault-style weapons after the country suffered its worst-ever shooting attack in 2020, when a man impersonating a police officer killed 22 people in northern Nova Scotia.
—Max Saltman, CNN Money, 15 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for weapons
Noun
-
When Epstein was indicted for a second time in 2019, federal prosecutors tried to get their arms around Epstein’s finances – including his dealings with Wexner.—
Curt Devine,
CNN Money,
18 Feb. 2026
-
The Dodgers have at least four healthy bullpen arms that would close for San Francisco right now.—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
Mercury News,
18 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
An organization that tests AI models called Model Evaluation and Threat Research found in July that developers take 19% longer to work on their code when using AI, although that research was based on tools from early 2025.—
Lisa Eadicicco,
CNN Money,
19 Feb. 2026
-
Another worry is that if AI succeeds in creating tools to do complicated tasks more cheaply, companies in industries as far flung as software and legal services and trucking logistics could see their businesses get undercut.—
Stan Choe,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Hernandez said the braised beef is cooked for about six hours with ingredients such as apple cider vinegar, chipotle peppers, bay leaves and Mexican oregano.—
Carlos Rico,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
18 Feb. 2026
-
That’s because one of the star ingredients, snow mushroom extract, boasts exceptional water retention, locking moisture into your hair, sealing the cuticle, and preventing humidity from creeping in.—
Conçetta Ciarlo,
Vogue,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Not only did archaeologists find a couple of precious pieces of textiles but also instruments and artifacts that could indicate a workshop, such as needles and a weaving sword, indicating that Beycesultan was a major textile-producing settlement during the Bronze Age.—
Maria Mocerino,
Interesting Engineering,
22 Feb. 2026
-
The science payload to be landed there includes seismometers, a drill to allow emplacement of heat flow and electrical conductivity probes, and instruments to study the magnetic field and surface weathering.—
Richard Tribou,
The Orlando Sentinel,
22 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
None of these are permanent shields.—
Matt Shumer,
Fortune,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Come next spring, shields and masks will no longer be confined to weekend getaways in the great outdoors.—
Martino Carrera,
Footwear News,
9 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Weapons.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/weapons. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.
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