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
Trade War Adds Recession Risks U.S. tariff threats and trade policies have been weaponized to advance U.S. geopolitical conflict deterrence and economic statecraft, acting as the sword and shield of economic security to support U.S. self-sufficiency and undercut Chinese economic power.
—Jason Schenker, Forbes.com, 2 Apr. 2025
Wielding Excalibur, the sword of myth, Gawain grows more powerful as the sun rises, reaching peak strength at midday.
—Alan Yuhas, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025
The chape had a practical use — protecting the tip of a sword — but also an aesthetic and symbolic purpose, Młotek said in a March 25 interview with the Polish Press Agency.
—Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 26 Mar. 2025
This was a good thing—weight has often been wielded by the media and even doctors as a sword to put women over size six into their place.
—Jessica Cruel, SELF, 26 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sword
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Jason Schenker, Forbes.com, 2 Apr. 2025
Wielding Excalibur, the sword of myth, Gawain grows more powerful as the sun rises, reaching peak strength at midday.
—Alan Yuhas, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025
The chape had a practical use — protecting the tip of a sword — but also an aesthetic and symbolic purpose, Młotek said in a March 25 interview with the Polish Press Agency.
—Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 26 Mar. 2025
This was a good thing—weight has often been wielded by the media and even doctors as a sword to put women over size six into their place.
—Jessica Cruel, SELF, 26 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sword
Cite this Entry
“Sword.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sword. Accessed 6 Apr. 2025.
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