disarm

verb

dis·​arm dis-ˈärm 

diz-,

ˈdis-ˌärm

disarmed; disarming; disarms

transitive verb

1

a

: to deprive of means, reason, or disposition to be hostile

disarmed criticism by admitting her errors

b

: to win over

2

a

: to divest of arms

disarm captured troops

b

: to deprive of a means of attack or defense

disarm a ship

c

: to make harmless

disarm a bomb

intransitive verb

1

: to lay aside arms

2

: to give up or reduce armed forces

disarmament

ˌdis-ˈär-mə-mənt 

noun

disarmer noun

Synonyms

• demilitarize

Examples of disarm in a Sentence

The government has been unsuccessful at disarming the rebels.

The terrorists have refused to disarm.

It took more than an hour to disarm the bomb.

Recent Examples on the Web

Read more What People Think Opinions related to business and economic issues submitted to The Hill: DOGE shouldn’t unilaterally disarm if there’s room for reform Will ‘Good Trump’ or ‘Bad Trump’ prevail on housing? —Aris Folley, The Hill, 19 Dec. 2024

Starkey is disarming and immediately easy to talk to, stopping mid-conversation to explain the interruption of the chimes of his bird clock: a gift from a friend in honor of the one his grandmother used to have. —Leigh Nordstrom, WWD, 18 Dec. 2024

For going on three centuries, the Italian scene has disarmed some of the most distinctive spirits from the north. —Thomas Meaney, The New Yorker, 25 Nov. 2024

The victim managed to disarm one of his assailants amid the fracas, turning the knife against his opponents and slashing two of his attackers, the source said. —Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 23 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English desarmen, literally, to divest of arms, from Anglo-French desarmer, from des- dis- + armer to arm

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Kids Definition

disarm

verb

dis·​arm (ˈ)dis-ˈärm 

1

: to take weapons from

disarm a prisoner

2

: to reduce the size and strength of the armed forces of a country

3

: to make harmless, peaceable, or friendly : remove dislike or suspicion

a disarming smile

disarmament

-ˈär-mə-mənt 

noun