weapon

1 of 2

noun

weap·​on ˈwe-pən How to pronounce weapon (audio)
1
: something (such as a club, knife, or gun) used to injure, defeat, or destroy
2
: a means of contending against another

weapon

2 of 2

verb

weaponed; weaponing; weapons

Examples of weapon in a Sentence

Noun assault with a deadly weapon The pitcher's slider is his most effective weapon. a new weapon in the fight against cancer The mayor's campaign unleashed its secret weapon.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The woman then spoke with deputies, describing the vehicle and the weapon used. Stephen Sorace, Fox News, 17 Mar. 2024 Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant signed a letter last week pledging to use U.S. weapons according to international law and to allow U.S.-supported humanitarian aid into Gaza. John Bacon, USA TODAY, 17 Mar. 2024 It is believed that Gordon may be in possession of additional weapons. Brian Anthony Hernandez, Peoplemag, 16 Mar. 2024 Hondo heads to the bedroom closet, removes his semi-automatic service weapon, and safely locks it away in his gun safe. Josh Campbell, CNN, 16 Mar. 2024 Squad car footage showed in the seconds leading up to the shooting, Anderson reached his right hand toward the seat where the weapon was located, according to the judge’s decision. Bridget Fogarty, Journal Sentinel, 15 Mar. 2024 Court documents say the three men also have been charged with various counts in connection with an armed robbery a day later of a Metrobus passenger’s black Moose Knuckle coat, and then shooting at the bus with a handgun and an AR-15 assault-style weapon. Peter Hermann, Washington Post, 19 Mar. 2024 For example, California’s bans on assault-style weapons and large-capacity ammunition magazines have been overturned, though those decisions are under appeal. Kevin Rector, Los Angeles Times, 18 Mar. 2024 For roughly two years now, Fed officials have been attempting to tame inflation using interest rate hikes as their main weapon. Will Daniel, Fortune, 18 Mar. 2024
Verb
The deputy had her pepper spray, Taser and weapon on her as Ruffin escaped and was able to fire three shots at him. Katherine Itoh, NBC News, 26 Feb. 2024 And the Polish prime minister announced a halt to weapon exports to Ukraine. Dominique Soguel, The Christian Science Monitor, 13 Oct. 2023 As a result, Russia has since been unable to send fighter jets or other aircraft over vast stretches of the country that weapons shipments traverse. Mary Ilyushina, Washington Post, 18 Aug. 2023 Fact check: Image shows aftermath of SpaceX launch, not weapon starting Hawaii fires The U.S. has provided more than just military assistance as well. Hannah Hudnall, USA TODAY, 18 Aug. 2023 Unlike a pocket knife or weapon someone might regularly carry, taking a knife from home would require advanced planning, prosecutors say. Kim Bellware, Washington Post, 15 Apr. 2023 Another officer had a taser ready, while the third officer had no taser or weapon out, Fields added. Alaa Elassar, CNN, 30 Sep. 2020 Recent reports, though, have claimed rubber bullets are still being used, and tracking which weapons individual police departments use is difficult. David Z. Morris, Fortune, 4 June 2020 Each crime fit the same modus operandi including the suspect’s build and weapon description, the report said. John R. Ellement, BostonGlobe.com, 6 July 2018

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'weapon.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English wepen, from Old English wǣpen; akin to Old High German wāffan weapon, Old Norse vāpn

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of weapon was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near weapon

Cite this Entry

“Weapon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/weapon. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

weapon

noun
weap·​on
ˈwep-ən
1
: something (as a gun, knife, or club) used to injure, defeat, or destroy
2
: something with which one fights or struggles against another
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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