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:
It assembled a team of engineers, defect investigators and lawyers to determine how to wield a seldom-used enforcement power to ban the dangerous parts.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 9, 2026
Roberts, a former White House lawyer, has long been skeptical of independent agencies whose officials may wield regulatory power in conflict with the views of the president.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 29, 2026
In Texas, counties typically don’t have the power to block development — unlike city officials who wield zoning authority.
From Salon ● Jun. 6, 2026
In his speech, Hegseth emphasised the US's "strong, quiet and clear" approach to the region - its capacity to wield a "big stick" but "speak softly".
From BBC ● May 30, 2026
“In the stories, he looks enough like a human that he can ride horses and wield weapons. He has paper wings.”
From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros
The network’s legal department now clearly wields a veto over its newsroom and primetime opinion stars.
From Salon ● Jul. 22, 2026
Although the Akal Takht has no constitutional authority over elected governments, it wields immense religious influence among Sikhs.
From BBC ● Jul. 6, 2026
The control he wields over his movies, which include the 2022 psychological creeper “Enys Men,” is in service of stories with a brittle, intentionally imperfect quality.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 19, 2026
Iran's new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei has not been seen in public since being appointed, his health condition is a mystery, and it's unclear how much power he wields.
From Barron's ● Jun. 4, 2026
Information is a beacon, a cudgel, an olive branch, a deterrent— all depending on who wields it and how.
From "Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything" by Steven D. Levitt
For someone who never held political office — a 1999 bid for San Francisco mayor was a notable flop — Reilly wielded considerable influence.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 26, 2026
We spent the next 15 minutes in that training discussing power — what it really meant during slavery and how it could be skillfully forged and wielded even by people in the grip of slavery.
From Salon ● Jun. 19, 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
In sweltering heat at a fuel station, 24-year-old Tushar wielded a hammer as he fitted a Trump face cover to a three-wheeled rickshaw.
From Barron's ● May 22, 2026
The figure lifted his arms and a light flashed from the staff that he wielded.
From "The Fellowship of the Ring" by J.R.R. Tolkien
Only a true and blustery hero can string it, much as we believe that only Damon can win a knife fight by wielding a pen.
From Salon ● Aug. 2, 2026
“Years have passed, and Paul is now wielding power and is a victim of that power.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 31, 2026
Khanna, 49, had been in a van with his team when they were surrounded by settlers wielding M4 rifles on Wednesday, he told Reuters news agency.
From BBC ● Jul. 11, 2026
Union leader Dave Regan has spent decades wielding California’s ballot system against the healthcare industry.
From Slate ● Jul. 6, 2026
I feel a presence behind me and turn to find Spiro Teluman wielding the most beautiful scim I’ve ever seen.
From "An Ember in the Ashes" by Sabaa Tahir
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.
