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.
-
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
-
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:
A publicly held Tata Sons could significantly reduce the control and special rights the Tata Trusts wield over the group.
From BBC ● Sep. 18, 2026
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
“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
I will not take the Ring to wield it.’
From "The Fellowship of the Ring" by J.R.R. Tolkien
Paramount will also face restrictions on how it wields clout during negotiations for distribution of its basic cable TV channels.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 30, 2026
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
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
He wielded significant sway over the direction of the firm for nearly two decades and oversaw a more than 600-person team.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 12, 2026
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
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
I can’t say how many times this tool has been wielded against me, in a variety of forms.
From "Every Day" by David Levithan
John was taught that Green Lanterns must be fearless beings capable of focusing and wielding their will.
From Salon ● Oct. 5, 2026
I have heard of marketers giving themselves the title while continuing in relatively “normal” marketing jobs, wielding it more as a hallmark that communicates that they know what they’re doing when it comes to AI.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 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
That would be the choice of David Ellison, Paramount’s boss, pure and simple, which makes it more likely that he’s wielding the relocation option for leverage in settlement talks.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 16, 2026
She steadied herself, wielding the staff like a sword as Cain began circling.
From "Throne of Glass" by Sarah J. Maas
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.
