Illustration of sword
- 1 pommel
- 2 hilt
- 3 guard
- 4 blade
often attributive
1
: a weapon (such as a cutlass or rapier) with a long blade for cutting or thrusting that is often used as a symbol of honor or authority
2
a
: an agency or instrument of destruction or combat
b
: the use of force
the pen is mightier than the sword—
E. G. Bulwer-Lytton
E. G. Bulwer-Lytton3
: coercive power
4
: something that resembles a sword
Examples of sword in a Sentence
once upon a time dueling with swords was the gentlemanly way to settle a point of honor
Recent Examples on the Web
And memories of them putting the Reds to the sword are still very, very fresh.
—Sam Tighe, The Athletic, 21 Mar. 2025
The Mirror and the Light opens with that profoundly disturbing execution, Foy a pale rictus of fear and vulnerability as she is led to the block, where she is blindfolded and positioned before the executioner’s sword.
—Taylor Antrim, Vogue, 20 Mar. 2025
And some insiders note there were likely many Democrats who voted against the spending bill while privately urging their leader to fall on his sword to avoid a cataclysmic shutdown.
—Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 17 Mar. 2025
CEOs sit at the nexus of critical decision-making, which is a sword with two edges.
—Alexander Puutio, Forbes, 14 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sword
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.
Sam Tighe, The Athletic, 21 Mar. 2025
The Mirror and the Light opens with that profoundly disturbing execution, Foy a pale rictus of fear and vulnerability as she is led to the block, where she is blindfolded and positioned before the executioner’s sword.
—Taylor Antrim, Vogue, 20 Mar. 2025
And some insiders note there were likely many Democrats who voted against the spending bill while privately urging their leader to fall on his sword to avoid a cataclysmic shutdown.
—Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 17 Mar. 2025
CEOs sit at the nexus of critical decision-making, which is a sword with two edges.
—Alexander Puutio, Forbes, 14 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sword
Articles Related to sword
Cite this Entry
“Sword.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sword. Accessed 25 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share