rearm

verb

re·​arm (ˌ)rē-ˈärm How to pronounce rearm (audio)
rearmed; rearming; rearms

transitive verb

: to arm (a nation, a military force, etc.) again with new or better weapons

intransitive verb

: to become armed again

Examples of rearm in a Sentence

The treaty forbids the country to rearm. Another country was rearming their enemies.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
However, the country has been working to rebuild and rearm its navy in recent months, Putin's recent remarks indicating that nuclear forces will be a critical focus of the next stage in its development. David Faris, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Apr. 2025 South Korean weapons can help Europe rearm and reindustrialize. Kurt M. Campbell, Foreign Affairs, 10 Apr. 2025 Instead, demographic disruption is raising the risks to allied defenses by fueling a dangerous imbalance: autocratic rivals are militarizing despite population declines, while democratic allies are rearming slowly, constrained by aging electorates and mounting welfare obligations. Michael Beckley, Foreign Affairs, 16 Apr. 2025 In the years ahead, Germany will rearm, reindustrialise, and redirect its economy with a $1 trillion fiscal expansion all in response to the understanding that Germany is once more the custodian of Europe’s eastern front. David McWilliams, Time, 9 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for rearm

Word History

First Known Use

1750, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of rearm was in 1750

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Rearm.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rearm. Accessed 17 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

rearm

verb
re·​arm (ˈ)rē-ˈärm How to pronounce rearm (audio)
: to arm again with new or better weapons
rearmament noun
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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