disarmament
Americannoun
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the act or an instance of disarming.
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the reduction or limitation of the size, equipment, armament, etc., of the army, navy, or air force of a country.
noun
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the reduction of offensive or defensive fighting capability, as by a nation
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the act of disarming or state of being disarmed
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of disarmament
Explanation
When a country reduces or eliminates its military weapons, or arms, it's called disarmament. Nuclear disarmament is the reduction of nuclear weapons around the world. After wars, countries often deal with disarmament, reducing the arms on both sides in a balanced way. Proponents of nuclear disarmament aim for the same thing, often with the ultimate goal being complete elimination of all weapons of mass destruction. Disarmament adds the "not" or "do the opposite of" prefix dis- to armament, from a Latin root meaning "furnish with weapons."
Vocabulary lists containing disarmament
World War II
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"Letter to Viceroy, Lord Irwin," Vocabulary from the argument
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myPerspectives 10.3
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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.
A peace agreement signed in November 2022 put an end to the fighting, but several key points, such as the return of displaced people or the disarmament of the TPLF, have never been implemented.
From Barron's ● Aug. 11, 2026
While the leaders of both countries have diverging views on many issues, they both want to see the disarmament of Hezbollah, a movement that has operated from Lebanon since the 1980s.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026
A Board of Peace official said that the humanitarian part of the peace process isn’t dependent on the disarmament of Hamas, but would be accelerated by it.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 2026
I thought of that village throughout “Best and Last,” especially during Knoxville’s nonchalant disarmament of his pal.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 26, 2026
Stassen leaped into his job with characteristic energy, declaring that he would assemble a supporting staff of “experienced men with brilliant analytical minds” to review American disarmament strategy from top to bottom.
From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik
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.
