weapon
Americannoun
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any instrument or device for use in attack or defense in combat, fighting, or war, as a sword, rifle, or cannon.
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anything used against an opponent, adversary, or victim.
the deadly weapon of satire.
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Zoology. any part or organ serving for attack or defense, as claws, horns, teeth, or stings.
verb (used with object)
noun
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an object or instrument used in fighting
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anything that serves to outwit or get the better of an opponent
his power of speech was his best weapon
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any part of an animal that is used to defend itself, to attack prey, etc, such as claws, teeth, horns, or a sting
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a slang word for penis
Other Word Forms
- outweaponed adjective
- superweapon noun
- unweaponed adjective
- weaponed adjective
- weaponless adjective
Etymology
Origin of weapon
First recorded before 900; Middle English wepen, Old English wǣpen; cognate with German Waffe, Old Norse vāpn, Gothic wēpna (plural)
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.
“There has been support from the DoW to increase production and delivery of exquisite weapons systems, but going forward we expect new-entrants and affordable systems to be prioritized.”
From Barron's
The bearish boy swung his stick at the charging badger, but the weapon swept right through her, protected as she was by the Afterlife against those who meant her harm.
From Literature
Global conflict is usually a boon to defense contractors, and overall, 2026 has seen large gains for weapons makers.
From Barron's
Higher spending on weapons procurement, including bombers, ships, missiles, missile defense, and other items should be in the request.
From Barron's
What we lacked in Desert Storm was standoff capability, meaning weapons that allowed America to attack targets from a safe distance.
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.
