semiautomatic

adjective

semi·​au·​to·​mat·​ic ˌse-mē-ˌȯ-tə-ˈma-tik How to pronounce semiautomatic (audio)
ˌse-ˌmī-,
-mi-
: not fully automatic: such as
a
: operated partly automatically and partly by hand
b
of a firearm : able to fire repeatedly through an automatic reloading process but requiring release and another pressure of the trigger for each successive shot
a semiautomatic rifle
semiautomatic noun
semiautomatically adverb

Examples of semiautomatic in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Oregon and federal laws didn’t require background checks for purchasing semiautomatic rifles like an AK-47. Corey G. Johnson, ProPublica, 24 Oct. 2024 Read the stories Five years ago in August, a gunman walked into the store and fired hundreds of bullets from a semiautomatic rifle. Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2024 Yet Trump also banned bump stocks, attachments that allow semiautomatic guns to shoot faster; the Supreme Court, including all three justices appointed by Trump, overturned that rule in June. Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 7 Oct. 2024 The ad prompted boycotts among conservatives, including celebrities such as Kid Rock, who shared a video of himself shooting at cases of Bud Light with what appeared to be a semiautomatic rifle. Jo Yurcaba, NBC News, 25 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for semiautomatic 

Word History

First Known Use

1853, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of semiautomatic was in 1853

Dictionary Entries Near semiautomatic

Cite this Entry

“Semiautomatic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/semiautomatic. Accessed 14 Nov. 2024.

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