grenade

American  

[gri-nayd] / grɪˈneɪd /

noun

• grenades
  plural

1. a small shell containing an explosive and thrown by hand or fired from a rifle or launching device.

2. a similar missile containing a chemical, as for dispersing tear gas or fire-extinguishing substances.

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verb (used with object)

grenaded, grenading

1. to attack with a grenade or grenades.

grenade British  

/ ɡrɪˈneɪd /

noun

1. a small container filled with explosive thrown by hand or fired from a rifle

2. a sealed glass vessel that is thrown and shatters to release chemicals, such as tear gas or a fire extinguishing agent

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• grenades
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of grenade

1525–35; < French < Spanish granada pomegranate, special use of granado having grains < Latin grānātus. See grain, -ate ¹

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Explanation

A grenade is a small explosive device, a little bomb that can be thrown by hand. The earliest grenades were contained in ceramic jars and thrown by ancient Byzantine soldiers. If you've ever seen a war movie, you may have observed soldiers pulling pins out of hand-held grenades, throwing them, and watching them explode at a distance. The first grenades were extremely dangerous to the people holding them, and modern versions improved the thrower's safety even as they became more deadly for those they were used against. Larger grenades are propelled with launchers, gun-like weapons that are also used in combat.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

grenade grenades

They also found a World War II grenade, which threw, well, another grenade into the schedule.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026

One of the family's lawyers, Bertrand Wattez, said the boy, Evan, denied the police account, relayed by prosecutors, that he had tried to pick up the grenade when it went off on October 5.

From Barron's ● Oct. 14, 2026

However, a witness told local media that the teenager did not pick up the grenade.

From BBC ● Oct. 9, 2026

Vaughters likened his comments to rolling “a grenade down the aisle,” but the blast was both explanatory and useful.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026

Or, more precisely, he’d keep asking questions, keep sighing and staring at the car like it was a hand grenade, until Toby finally told him the truth.

From "We'll Fly Away" by Bryan Bliss

Why has France suspended the use of stun grenades on protesters?

From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026

The interior ministry also said police would stop using stun grenades on the students.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026

"Authorities must allow young people to exercise these rights without fear of being hit by tear gas grenades or batons, or being arbitrarily taken into police custody," said Amnesty France president Anne Savinel-Barras.

From Barron's ● Oct. 4, 2026

An AFP photographer saw law enforcement use stun grenades to try disperse the crowds near Madison Square Garden.

From Barron's ● Jun. 11, 2026

When the waiter walked through the door and brought us coffee, placing the cups carefully on the table as if they were live grenades, Vidal didn’t even bother to look up.

From "Bodega Dreams" by Ernesto Quinonez

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