warrior
Americannoun
-
warriors
plural
-
a person engaged or experienced in warfare; soldier.
-
a person who shows or has shown great vigor, courage, or aggressiveness, as in politics or athletics.
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of warrior
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English werreieor, from Old North French; equivalent to war 1 + -or 2
Compare meaning
How does warrior compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
Although logically linked with someone engaged in war, a warrior can be anyone who fights the good fight, whether in politics, on the job, or just as a "weekend warrior" trying to accomplish multiple tasks during off-hours at home. As the Old French guerre meant "war," it led to the word guerreor for someone who wages war. This eventually morphed into the word we know as warrior. The word can also refer to someone fighting a philosophical or political war. Author Carlos Castandeda said, "Nobody is born a warrior, in exactly the same way that nobody is born an average man. We make ourselves into one or the other.” After ridding the kitchen of ants, you felt like a proud warrior.
Vocabulary lists containing warrior
Name On: Pro Sports Team Names, Part 1
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Wonder Woman's Superpower Words
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Beowulf vocabulary
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
See Examples For:
The self-styled intergalactic space warrior said he was "more popular" when standing against Farage compared to Andy Burnham, after he picked up 95 votes when challenging the now-prime minister in Makerfield in June.
From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2026
“The warrior ethos shouldn’t have to include bravely facing water contamination. ... Even warfighters need basic care.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026
"Bin day cometh," quipped Binface, the self-styled "intergalactic space warrior" from the fictional planet Sigma IX.
From Barron's ● Aug. 14, 2026
Cunningham proclaims herself as a warrior for “common sense” by fighting off a scourge that no one can see.
From Salon ● Aug. 9, 2026
“She was rescued. A warrior went alone into the depths of Annuvin and brought her back safely.”
From "The Book of Three" by Lloyd Alexander
The most electable progressives are instead happy warriors, a quality Ocasio-Cortez and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani have in spades.
From Salon ● Aug. 13, 2026
The cannibalistic Laestrygonians become towering armored warriors, while other episodes are combined or radically re-imagined, with characters and storylines invented from whole cloth.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026
From Ottoman warriors in suits of armour to a marble palace and fighter jets, US President Donald Trump got the kind of welcome he loves in Turkey on Tuesday.
From Barron's ● Jul. 7, 2026
"If you are from Paraguay, you probably like the team - they are like warriors," he added.
From BBC ● Jul. 5, 2026
Metal clanged against metal, and a battle between the two warriors erupted around the tree.
From Anya and the Dragon by Sofiya Pasternack
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.
