weapon

American  

[wep-uhn] / ˈwɛp ən /

noun

• weapons
  plural

1. any instrument or device for use in attack or defense in combat, fighting, or war, as a sword, rifle, or cannon.

2. anything used against an opponent, adversary, or victim.

   the deadly weapon of satire.

3. Zoology. any part or organ serving for attack or defense, as claws, horns, teeth, or stings.

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verb (used with object)

1. to supply or equip with a weapon or weapons.

   to weapon aircraft with heat-seeking missiles.

weapon British  

/ ˈwɛpən /

noun

1. an object or instrument used in fighting

2. anything that serves to outwit or get the better of an opponent

   his power of speech was his best weapon

3. any part of an animal that is used to defend itself, to attack prey, etc, such as claws, teeth, horns, or a sting

4. a slang word for penis

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• superweapon
  noun
• outweaponed
  adjective
• unweaponed
  adjective
• weaponed
  adjective
• weaponless
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• weapons
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of weapon

First recorded before 900; Middle English wepen, Old English wǣpen; cognate with German Waffe, Old Norse vāpn, Gothic wēpna (plural)

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Explanation

A weapon is something used to hurt someone. Soldiers use weapons like guns and even sometimes use "weapons of mass destruction" — like bombs. In school, the only weapon you should use is a spitball. A solider engaging in battle needs a weapon, as does a police officer defending herself against a violent attacker. Some weapons are specially designed for killing or injuring, such as guns and crossbows, while in other cases an ordinary object, like a stick, can be used as a weapon. The Old English root is wæpen, "instrument of fighting or defense." The spelling is tricky, and most people just have to memorize the ea in weapon.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

weapon weapons

"I don't understand why a mom would buy a teenage boy a weapon like that," said Vanetsky.

From Barron's ● Oct. 16, 2026

South Korea's military said Friday its homegrown weapon had a "robust design" that used domestically produced heat-resistant materials to provide thermal protection, leaving it "free from any soot" even in hypersonic conditions.

From Barron's ● Oct. 16, 2026

The monochromatic version of the former Avenger had been rebuilt without his memories to be a sentient weapon, but during a showdown with his magically created double, he regained them.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 14, 2026

Speaking to the BBC's Big Boss Interview, Smith called AI both a "tool and a weapon" that urgently needed to be regulated.

From BBC ● Oct. 11, 2026

He put a toe under the axe Phillip had dropped, then kicked the weapon up and grabbed it in midair.

From "Half Upon a Time" by James Riley

In September, Pyongyang's leader Kim Jong Un emphasised the need to raise "the level of artificial intelligence" in the country's weapons systems.

From Barron's ● Oct. 17, 2026

They never saw weapons, and didn't hear arguments coming from the apartment on the second floor of the small building, just minutes away by foot from Silver Rail Elementary.

From Barron's ● Oct. 16, 2026

The Manhattan Project, the secret American effort to develop nuclear weapons during World War II, was driven partly by the possibility that Nazi Germany might achieve a similar breakthrough first.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 16, 2026

The IDF said at the time it had targeted a site where Hezbollah had been operating from and storing weapons, and that the incident was under review.

From BBC ● Oct. 15, 2026

They snatched up their weapons and rushed to the front of the barn, where they discovered the door was locked!

From "Chasing Lincoln's Killer" by James L. Swanson

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Related Words

• ammunition
• bomb
• cannon
• firearm
• gun
• knife
• machete
• machine gun
• missile
• nerve gas
• pistol
• revolver
• rifle
• shotgun
• sword
• tear gas

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