unarmed
Americanadjective
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without weapons or armor.
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not having claws, thorns, scales, etc., as animals or plants.
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(of an artillery shell) not armed.
adjective
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without weapons
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(of animals and plants) having no claws, prickles, spines, thorns, or similar structures
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of or relating to a projectile that does not use a detonator to initiate explosive action
Etymology
Origin of unarmed
A Middle English word dating back to 1250–1300; see origin at un- 1, armed 2
Explanation
When someone is unarmed, they don't have any weapons. Leave your slingshot at home if you want to be officially unarmed. Sometimes the adjective unarmed has the sense of "helpless" or "defenseless," as when you hear about military troops attacking unarmed civilians. The word is constructed by adding the prefix un- ("not" ) to armed, which has meant "prepared for battle" since the 13th century, from its Latin root arma, "tools or implements of war."
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.
Her administration also spearheaded sending mental health teams or other unarmed responders to emergency calls that were once fielded by police.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 8, 2026
We also know that unarmed dissidents who have been willing to protest one of the world’s most brutal governments do not lack for courage.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 13, 2026
A former Whittier police officer reached a plea agreement with prosecutors, ending a criminal case that stemmed from a 2020 shooting that left an unarmed man paralyzed, officials said.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 9, 2026
Gomez's Indigenous bodyguards are always unarmed, hoping to avoid confrontation, explains Jose Yatacue, coordinator of the Nasa unit.
From Barron's • Feb. 19, 2026
They were doomed to failure, unarmed with the proper concepts.
From "Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea" by Charles Seife
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.
