grenade

noun

gre·​nade grə-ˈnād 

: a small missile that contains an explosive or a chemical agent (such as tear gas, a flame producer, or a smoke producer) and that is thrown by hand or projected (as by a rifle or special launcher)

Examples of grenade in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Naturally, someone’s gotta throw a live grenade into the mix. —David Fear, Rolling Stone, 12 Mar. 2025

The observatory, which has monitored the Syrian conflict since 2011, said Monday that unidentified gunmen had recently thrown grenades and opened fire overnight on a building housing government security forces in the highly fortified Mezzeh district of the capital. —arkansasonline.com, 11 Mar. 2025

The initial jolt came fast and furious, starting with a flash-bang grenade in her living room. —Dylan Moore, National Review, 1 Mar. 2025

However, close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades. —Alicia Wallace, CNN, 28 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle French, literally, pomegranate, from Late Latin granata, from Latin, feminine of granatus seedy, from granum grain — more at corn

First Known Use

1591, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing grenade

• concussion grenade
• flash-bang grenade
• flash grenade
• fragmentation grenade
• smoke grenade
• stun grenade

Rhymes for grenade

• afraid
• allayed
• arcade
• arrayed
• assayed
• barmaid
• betrayed
• blockade
• bridesmaid
• brigade
• brocade
• buffeted

Kids Definition

grenade

noun

gre·​nade grə-ˈnād 

: a small bomb that is thrown by hand or launched (as by a rifle)

Etymology

from early French grenade, granade "pomegranate, grenade," from Latin granata "pomegranate," derived from Latin granatus "seedy," from granum "grain, seed" — related to garnet, grain, pomegranate see Word History at garnet