wield
Americanverb (used with object)
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wields,
present (3rd person singular)
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wielded,
past participle, past
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wielding
present participle
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to exercise (power, authority, influence, etc.), as in ruling or dominating.
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to use (a weapon, instrument, etc.) effectively; handle or employ actively.
- Synonyms:
- control, manipulate
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Archaic. to guide or direct.
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Archaic. to govern; manage.
verb
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to handle or use (a weapon, tool, etc)
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to exert or maintain (power or authority)
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obsolete to rule
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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wieldsimple
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wieldssimple
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have wieldedperfect
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has wieldedperfect
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am wieldingprogressive
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are wieldingprogressive
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is wieldingprogressive
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have been wieldingperfect progressive
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has been wieldingperfect progressive
Past
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wieldedsimple
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had wieldedperfect
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was wieldingprogressive
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were wieldingprogressive
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had been wieldingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of wield
First recorded before 900; Middle English welden, Old English wieldan “to control,” derivative of wealdan “to rule”; cognate with German walten, Old Norse valda, Gothic waldan; akin to Latin valēre “to be strong, prevail”
Explanation
If you wield a tool or a weapon, you handle it effectively. Picture a gallant knight wielding a sword or a skillful chef wielding a whisk. You don't just have to wield something physical; you can also wield or exert influence or authority. Wield is frequently followed by the word power. If you were a king, you could wield great power in your kingdom — exerting your influence over everything from food rations to castle upkeep. As it is, though, you might just wield power over your pet goldfish. Note: wield follows the i before e, except after c spelling rule.
Vocabulary lists containing wield
"The Odyssey" by Homer, Books 1–7
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100 SAT words Beginning with W,X,Y, and Z
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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:
You need to believe that you can wield control over your choices and resist outside forces that try to influence you.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 18, 2026
Since “The Oprah Winfrey Show” ended in 2011, Winfrey has continued to wield influence in fields including publishing, politics and business.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 14, 2026
Parties like Reform and Restore will be very aware of the potential power that activists like Thomas and Robinson can now wield with their large social media followings.
From BBC ● Sep. 11, 2026
“It was obviously newsworthy, but this officer was able to wield the law against this journalist, and that is the kind of thing we are worried about,” she said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 23, 2026
We stood side by side, all four of us, defensively holding up our weapons like ninja warriors, while Pita huddled behind us, defenseless without a weapon to wield.
From "Summer of the Mariposas" by Guadalupe García McCall
In the popular imagination, a Viking is tall, broad-shouldered man who wields a sword, and might have a modern haircut like a skin fade or lots of tattoos.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 23, 2026
The YouTube channels of United influencer Mark Goldbridge's were recently acquired, a further sign of the influence Neville now wields in football's media industry.
From BBC ● Sep. 21, 2026
The network’s legal department now clearly wields a veto over its newsroom and primetime opinion stars.
From Salon ● Jul. 22, 2026
“Best and Last’s” flashbacks are a walloping reminder that Knoxville is inimitable: a telegenic and extroverted entertainer with a charisma he wields like a skunk aims its stink.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 26, 2026
This saint has long hair and wears a red tunic and sandals and wields a huge sword above a disgusting-looking dragon with a tiny human face.
From "Before We Were Free" by Julia Alvarez
In Malta, home to 70,000 offshore companies and the headquarters of some of the world’s largest gambling groups, she wielded her pen against ministers and businessmen.
From Barron's ● Sep. 3, 2026
Tall, powerfully built and eloquent, he quoted scripture as competently as he wielded a firearm.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 2, 2026
All this shapeshifting gives few clues about what Butler has been pursuing all these years, aside from power itself, which he has apparently wielded in the person of Gabbard.
From Salon ● Jun. 25, 2026
His eldest brother, singer-playwright Paavalar Varadharajan, performed at Communist Party events in the 1950s, when the party wielded significant influence in the region.
From BBC ● Jun. 6, 2026
Like most mothers, she wielded tremendous power and my staunch resolve would crumble like a sandcastle before her frontal assaults, which were like tidal waves.
From "The Color of Water: A Black Man's Tribute to His White Mother" by James McBride
Trump made the case on Tuesday that his wielding of U.S. military power and diplomatic pressure has delivered for Americans.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 22, 2026
“Agency” is wielding power and autonomy in choosing how to live; “belonging” is forging social ties with others; and “cause” is serving a higher purpose.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 18, 2026
He appears in a video with two ministry officials, one wielding a clipboard, at SeaWorld.
From BBC ● Sep. 7, 2026
Like yoga or dance, the experience is a workout that feels in alignment with the body’s natural movements, at an intensity appropriate to wielding an ancient weapon.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 24, 2026
When the surly handyman showed up that afternoon to nail up a few boards, he seemed an angel from heaven wielding a hammer.
From "The Best of Enemies" by Osha Gray Davidson
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.
