sword
Americannoun
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swords
plural
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a weapon having various forms but consisting typically of a long, straight or slightly curved blade, sharp-edged on one or both sides, with one end pointed and the other fixed in a hilt or handle.
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this weapon as the symbol of military power, punitive justice, authority, etc..
The pen is mightier than the sword.
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a cause of death or destruction.
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war, combat, slaughter, or violence, especially military force or aggression.
to perish by the sword.
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Military. Sword. the code name for one of the five D-Day invasion beaches on France's Normandy coast, assaulted by British forces.
noun
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a thrusting, striking, or cutting weapon with a long blade having one or two cutting edges, a hilt, and usually a crosspiece or guard
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such a weapon worn on ceremonial occasions as a symbol of authority
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something resembling a sword, such as the snout of a swordfish
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to argue or fight
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violence or power, esp military power
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death; destruction
to put to the sword
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Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of sword
First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English sweord; cognate with Dutch zwaard, German Schwert, Old Norse sverth
Explanation
A sword is a weapon with a long, sharp, metal blade. If you want to dress up as a knight for Halloween, you'll definitely need a sword — and maybe a suit of armor. Swords evolved from daggers, which, like knives, have two sharp edges instead of just one. Some time during the Bronze Age, daggers became longer and longer, eventually being classified as swords. These long, sharp weapons were used by soldiers on battlefields, and for self-defense and dueling. Sword can be traced back to a Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to cut or pierce."
Vocabulary lists containing sword
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Their removal revealed the weapon, which Chiddingstone Castle curator Naomi Collick said could be a Victorian bandsman's sword from the early 1800s.
From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026
The second trickier and clumsier aside happens when Banderas’ chef tells Tony the tragedy of 17th century French cook François Vatel, who literally fell on his sword before serving a banquet to Louis XIV.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026
“You need to deal with what you wear and wear it comfortably,” the 35-year-old teacher told AFP, brandishing a sword and wearing blood-red contact lenses.
From Barron's ● Aug. 1, 2026
"In California, atmospheric rivers are a double-edged sword," Mimi said.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 28, 2026
She threw both her arms around him and grabbed for the sword, even as he backed away, trying to keep her from getting it.
From "Half Upon a Time" by James Riley
No dragons, of course, but plenty of political conniving, clashing swords and last-minute escapes.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 10, 2026
Elsewhere are splendid cabinets with mother-of-pearl inlay, gorgeous enamel accessories, plush velvet textiles and engraved iron swords.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 11, 2026
"For now, people are sharpening their swords and firming up their positions," auto analyst Stefan Bratzel of the Centre of Automotive Management told AFP.
From Barron's ● Jul. 10, 2026
Massive haul of Roman Empire crockery and swords hidden in Swiss lake.
From MarketWatch ● Apr. 14, 2026
The two huge machines faced each other, with their tall metal booms stretched out at an angle, like two medieval horsemen with their long swords tipped forward.
From "Nine, Ten: A September 11 Story" by Nora Raleigh Baskin
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
