armed

¹ American  

[ahrmd] / ɑrmd /

adjective

1. having a specified number or kind of arms (often used in combination): a weak-armed quarterback.

   a four-armed Hindu god;

   a weak-armed quarterback.

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armed ² American  

[ahrmd] / ɑrmd /

adjective

1. bearing firearms; having weapons.

   a heavily armed patrol.

2. maintained by arms.

   armed peace.

3. involving the use of weapons.

   armed conflict.

4. equipped.

   The students came armed with their pocket calculators.

5. (especially of an animal) covered protectively, as by a shell.

6. fortified; made secure.

   Armed by an inveterate optimism, he withstood despair.

7. (of an artillery shell, bomb, missile, etc.) having the fuze made operative.

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armed ¹ British  

/ ɑːmd /

adjective

1. equipped with or supported by arms, armour, etc

2. prepared for conflict or any difficulty

3. (of an explosive device) prepared for use; having a fuse or detonator installed

4. (of plants) having the protection of thorns, spines, etc

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armed ² British  

/ ɑːmd /

adjective

1. 1. having an arm or arms

   2. ( in combination )

      long-armed

      one-armed

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Other Word Forms

• half-armed
  adjective
• well-armed
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of armed¹

First recorded in 1500–10; arm ¹ ( def. ) + -ed ³ ( def. )

Origin of armed²

First recorded in 1250–1300; arm ², + -ed ² ( def. )

Explanation

If you're armed, you are carrying some kind of weapon. Armed soldiers are most commonly supplied with guns. In the United States, police officers are almost always armed, while British police usually don't carry guns. When a crime involves the use of a weapon, it might be described as an armed robbery, and even an animal is sometimes said to be armed: "The cat was armed with sharp teeth and claws against the puppy's enthusiasm." The Latin root is arma, "weapons," or "tools of war."

Example Sentences

Castro, now 94, was the head of the country's armed forces and faced international condemnation over the crash.

From BBC • May 20, 2026

“You have to make snap judgments about people, so you want to come armed with background knowledge.”

From The Wall Street Journal • May 20, 2026

Another case has been recorded in Goma, North Kivu's key provincial capital currently under the control of the Rwanda-backed M23 anti-governmental armed group.

From Barron's • May 19, 2026

At one point in 2022 Iran International's offices in London were being protected by armed police.

From BBC • May 18, 2026

As the commander in chief of the armed forces, the president would have the sole power to review the final verdict.

From Nazi Saboteurs by Samantha Seiple

Related Words

• equipped
• loaded
• outfitted
• supplied