gun rights
plural noun
U.S. politics
: legal rights that allow civilians to own, use, and sell guns
supporters of gun rights
—often used before another noungun rights advocates/groups
Note: The term gun rights often suggests support for an interpretation of the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution that favors broad rights to gun ownership.
Examples of gun rights in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a pair of key gun rights cases in the coming months, and other Second Amendment cases could make their way on the docket as the justices consider additional petitions for this term.
—
Jack Birle, The Washington Examiner, 27 Oct. 2025
That case established a new Second Amendment test, holding that modern-day regulations regarding gun rights must have an analogous historical regulation.
—Solcyré Burga, Time, 27 Oct. 2025
In 2023, Kirk said at a public event that gun deaths amount to a worthwhile price paid for gun rights.
—Max Zahn, ABC News, 14 Oct. 2025
This combination of free speech and gun rights makes the growing problem of political violence much harder to solve.
—Gregory P. Magarian, The Conversation, 10 Oct. 2025
She was fired after opposing a request to restore actor Mel Gibson's gun rights.
—Aysha Bagchi, USA Today, 9 Oct. 2025
Lower courts have split on the measure, setting the stage for another major ruling on the balance between gun rights and public safety.
—Jenna Sundel, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025
The court could use the Hawaii case to further broaden gun rights.
—Alyssa Kapasi, NPR, 3 Oct. 2025
The justices ruled a New York regulator couldn’t encourage insurers and banks to sever ties with the gun rights group without violating the First Amendment.
—Zach Schonfeld, The Hill, 24 Sep. 2025
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Jack Birle, The Washington Examiner, 27 Oct. 2025
That case established a new Second Amendment test, holding that modern-day regulations regarding gun rights must have an analogous historical regulation.
—Solcyré Burga, Time, 27 Oct. 2025
In 2023, Kirk said at a public event that gun deaths amount to a worthwhile price paid for gun rights.
—Max Zahn, ABC News, 14 Oct. 2025
This combination of free speech and gun rights makes the growing problem of political violence much harder to solve.
—Gregory P. Magarian, The Conversation, 10 Oct. 2025
She was fired after opposing a request to restore actor Mel Gibson's gun rights.
—Aysha Bagchi, USA Today, 9 Oct. 2025
Lower courts have split on the measure, setting the stage for another major ruling on the balance between gun rights and public safety.
—Jenna Sundel, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025
The court could use the Hawaii case to further broaden gun rights.
—Alyssa Kapasi, NPR, 3 Oct. 2025
The justices ruled a New York regulator couldn’t encourage insurers and banks to sever ties with the gun rights group without violating the First Amendment.
—Zach Schonfeld, The Hill, 24 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Gun rights.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gun%20rights. Accessed 3 Nov. 2025.
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