wield
Americanverb (used with object)
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to exercise (power, authority, influence, etc.), as in ruling or dominating.
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to use (a weapon, instrument, etc.) effectively; handle or employ actively.
- Synonyms:
- control, manipulate
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Archaic. to guide or direct.
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Archaic. to govern; manage.
verb
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to handle or use (a weapon, tool, etc)
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to exert or maintain (power or authority)
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obsolete to rule
Other Word Forms
- unwieldable adjective
- wieldable adjective
- wielder noun
Etymology
Origin of wield
First recorded before 900; Middle English welden, Old English wieldan “to control,” derivative of wealdan “to rule”; cognate with German walten, Old Norse valda, Gothic waldan; akin to Latin valēre “to be strong, prevail”
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.
Although the diaspora cannot vote this time due to logistical constraints, it wields significant influence.
From Barron's
“They wield the power of nature and the power of the people. You can’t overstate their contribution to coastal protection.”
From Los Angeles Times
Chris Hemsworth, taking a break from wielding Thor’s hammer, stars as a meticulous Los Angeles jewel thief with no past and no fixed identity; his real name, or one of them, is apparently James Davis.
Hadn’t he proved that he could wield magic?
From Literature
A fierce critic of China, he often wielded his paper, Apple Daily, as a tool of protest.
From BBC
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.
