ghost gun
noun
plural ghost guns
: a gun that lacks a serial number by which it can be identified and that is typically assembled by the user (as from purchased or homemade components)
Ghost guns, cobbled together with various parts often purchased separately, are popular among hobbyists and firearms enthusiasts.—
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
St. Louis Post-DispatchThe issue centers on so-called ghost guns, which consist of untraceable parts that can be ordered online and then, with a little finishing work, assembled into a working firearm.—Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles TimesEven so, they haven't been outlawed; buying or selling a ghost gun is illegal, but making one remains kosher under US gun control laws.—Andy Greenberg
Andy GreenbergExamples of ghost gun in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Before police arrived, prosecutors said, Pasco put the 9mm ghost gun in a closet.
—Caroline Kubzansky, Chicago Tribune, 12 Feb. 2025
Police found a 9 mm ghost gun and several fake IDs on his person.
—Ben Brachfeld, People.com, 17 Dec. 2024
Police recovered two live 9 mm rounds from the Sonata and a Polymer 80, known as a ghost gun, with a 9 mm magazine loaded with 10 rounds from a culvert where Martinez Mendoza allegedly threw it, the report said.
—Courier-News, Chicago Tribune, 11 Mar. 2025
According to the Department of Justice, the number of ghost guns recovered by law enforcement skyrocketed from 1,758 in 2016 to 19,344 in 2021, a surge of more than 1,000%.
—Jorge L. Ortiz, USA TODAY, 14 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ghost gun
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Caroline Kubzansky, Chicago Tribune, 12 Feb. 2025
Police found a 9 mm ghost gun and several fake IDs on his person.
—Ben Brachfeld, People.com, 17 Dec. 2024
Police recovered two live 9 mm rounds from the Sonata and a Polymer 80, known as a ghost gun, with a 9 mm magazine loaded with 10 rounds from a culvert where Martinez Mendoza allegedly threw it, the report said.
—Courier-News, Chicago Tribune, 11 Mar. 2025
According to the Department of Justice, the number of ghost guns recovered by law enforcement skyrocketed from 1,758 in 2016 to 19,344 in 2021, a surge of more than 1,000%.
—Jorge L. Ortiz, USA TODAY, 14 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ghost gun
Cite this Entry
“Ghost gun.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ghost%20gun. Accessed 28 Mar. 2025.
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