weaponization

American  

[wep-uhn-ahyz-ay-shuhn] / ˌwɛp ənˌaɪzˈeɪ ʃən /

noun

1. the act of using something as a weapon to gain advantage over an enemy or rival.

2. the act of equipping something, such as a vehicle, system, or country, with a weapon or weapons.

3. the act of developing something, such as a chemical or microorganism, expressly for use as a weapon of war.

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Example Sentences

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Wednesday he plans to coordinate with allies to counter China’s weaponization of rare-earth minerals.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 16, 2025

"This is going to be much about verification on the enrichment programme and then ultimately verification on weaponization."

From BBC • Apr. 18, 2025

Yet the prejudice and what she calls its political weaponization is universal and globally intertwined, she said.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 22, 2024

The throughline connecting the FTC’s X-Mode settlement and the weaponization of social media surveillance wasn’t lost on Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., who lauded the FTC and echoed Fairplay’s calls for legislative action.

From Salon • Jan. 11, 2024

In a speech at the Security Council, whose rotating presidency is being held this month by the United States, Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken condemned the weaponization of food.

From New York Times • Aug. 3, 2023