unarmed

American  

[uhn-ahrmd] / ʌnˈɑrmd /

adjective

1. without weapons or armor.

2. not having claws, thorns, scales, etc., as animals or plants.

3. (of an artillery shell) not armed.

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unarmed British  

/ ʌnˈɑːmd /

adjective

1. without weapons

2. (of animals and plants) having no claws, prickles, spines, thorns, or similar structures

3. of or relating to a projectile that does not use a detonator to initiate explosive action

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Etymology

Origin of unarmed

A Middle English word dating back to 1250–1300; un- ¹, armed ²

Example Sentences

Under state law, such weapons are not considered deadly, and a person carrying them is considered unarmed; but department officials argued that they are “visually indistinguishable from real firearms in rapidly escalating situations.”

From Los Angeles Times

Criticized by Yankee pacifists for resorting to violence, Clay replied, “how then can you ask me to go unarmed and yet manfully vindicate those doctrines which every where have been denounced with death?”

From The Wall Street Journal

Troops were initially unarmed when they were sent to Washington and also weren’t permitted to have weapons in their vehicles.

From The Wall Street Journal

Images aired Thursday on the official news channel of the Palestinian Authority showed two men coming out of a building with their hands raised and lifting their shirts to show they were unarmed.

From The Wall Street Journal

The fake videos included one in which an old woman fed apples to a bear, and another in which an unarmed high school student fended off a bear with her bare hands.

From Barron's

Related Words

• helpless
• powerless