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:
“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
“Everybody has the sword and we all have the ability to unsheathe Excalibur now,” said Johnston, 40, who used AI to code an app that helps people get the most out of credit card benefits.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 30, 2026
"In California, atmospheric rivers are a double-edged sword," Mimi said.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 28, 2026
No sword, no Round Table, just world-class shot-making, a lion’s heart and a Centre Court crowd thrilled to rally behind him.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 9, 2026
I lift the sword toward the wall as if offering the weapon as a sacrifice.
From "Kwame Crashes the Underworld" by Craig Kofi Farmer
No dragons, of course, but plenty of political conniving, clashing swords and last-minute escapes.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 10, 2026
America embarked on the digital equivalent of turning swords into plowshares.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 29, 2026
He said: "Leaders take responsibility, but too often that has meant other people falling on their swords."
From BBC ● May 14, 2026
Massive haul of Roman Empire crockery and swords hidden in Swiss lake.
From MarketWatch ● Apr. 14, 2026
Next to him stood Nico, Piper, and Jason—all with their swords drawn.
From "The House of Hades" by Rick Riordan
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.
