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Synonyms

wielding

American  
[weel-ding] / ˈwil dɪŋ /

adjective

  1. exercising power, authority, influence, etc..

    Russia is a veto-wielding member of the UN Security Council.

    Discussion focused on the accountability of power-wielding institutions.

  2. using or actively handling a weapon, instrument, etc..

    A torch-wielding group of nationalists gathered around the statue for a nighttime protest.


noun

  1. the act of exercising power or authority or of using or handling a weapon, instrument, etc..

    Many programs have fallen to the government’s ceaseless wielding of the budget-cutting knife.

Etymology

Origin of wielding

First recorded in 1575–85; wield ( def. ) + -ing 2 ( def. ) for the adjective senses; wield ( def. ) + -ing 1 ( def. ) for the noun sense

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.

But here’s what the doomsayers are missing: The relationship between a tool and the mind wielding it isn’t fixed.

From The Wall Street Journal

Sometimes he’s just out there for fun, but often he’s wielding his submersible Excalibur II metal detector to salvage someone’s destination wedding.

From The Wall Street Journal

It was always the hand of the legionary soldier, wielding the sword.

From The Wall Street Journal

Last year, a mural unveiled on the side of the Royal Courts of Justice building - depicting a judge wielding a gavel over a protestor - was also quickly erased.

From BBC

Appearing on Fox News over the weekend, Johnson said he was “in big support of the First Amendment” and that he did not “like the heavy hand of government, no matter who’s wielding it.”

From Salon