1
: a handgun whose chamber is integral with the barrel
broadly
: handgun
2
: a notably sharp, spirited, or energetic person
pistol
transitive verb
Examples of pistol in a Sentence
a real pistol, she dances rings around the other performers
Recent Examples on the Web
Macias fired the first shot at Sweet with a 9mm pistol because Macias said that Sweet ran over his foot, Burnette told the detectives.
—
Shambhavi Rimal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 May 2025
During that year, the .45-caliber pistol, which went missing from the Gresham District police station, was used in at least three crimes, Illinois Answers and the Sun-Times found.
—David Greising, Chicago Tribune, 9 May 2025
One of them pulled a pistol and opened fire, striking Carmona in the head before all three escaped toward New York Ave.
—Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 6 May 2025
Arenas later pleaded guilty to a felony charge of carrying an unlicensed pistol and was sentenced to two years of probation and 30 days in a halfway house, per NPR.
—Nasha Smith, People.com, 6 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for pistol
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Shambhavi Rimal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 May 2025
During that year, the .45-caliber pistol, which went missing from the Gresham District police station, was used in at least three crimes, Illinois Answers and the Sun-Times found.
—David Greising, Chicago Tribune, 9 May 2025
One of them pulled a pistol and opened fire, striking Carmona in the head before all three escaped toward New York Ave.
—Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 6 May 2025
Arenas later pleaded guilty to a felony charge of carrying an unlicensed pistol and was sentenced to two years of probation and 30 days in a halfway house, per NPR.
—Nasha Smith, People.com, 6 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for pistol
Cite this Entry
“Pistol.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pistol. Accessed 30 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
pistol
noun
pis·tol
ˈpis-tᵊl 
: a short firearm made to be aimed and fired with one hand
Etymology
from early French pistole "pistol," from German pistole (same meaning), derived from Czech píšt'ala, literally, "pipe, fife"
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