wield
verb (used with object)
to exercise (power, authority, influence, etc.), as in ruling or dominating.
had wielded
-
past perfectof wield.past perfect
Used to express a completed action that took place before another specific past action occurred.
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.
Few Americans had wielded more influence in China than Kissinger, whose trip to Beijing in the shadow of the Cold War paved the way for President Nixon’s 1972 visit and the normalization of U.S.-China relations.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 7, 2026
But there was no witness or forensic evidence to back up Hayes’ claim that Smith had wielded or fired a weapon.
From Seattle Times ● Jan. 22, 2024
Prince Mohammed, 37, became prime minister in September, formalizing the power he had wielded for years as the country’s de facto ruler, although his elderly father, King Salman, remains the official head of state.
From New York Times ● Nov. 18, 2022
Unfortunately for Boehner, he also discovered that the speaker’s office no longer afforded him the unmitigated power some of his predecessors had wielded.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 9, 2021
No other blade, not though mightier hands had wielded it, would have dealt that foe a wound so bitter, cleaving the undead flesh, breaking the spell that knit his unseen sinews to his will.
From "The Return of the King" by J.R.R. Tolkien
