1
a
: furnished with weapons
an armed guard
also
: using or involving a weapon
b
: furnished with something that provides security, strength, or efficacy
armed with knowledge
2
: marked by the maintenance of armed forces in readiness
: having an arm or arms especially of a specified kind or number
—usually used in combination
long-armed
two-armed
Examples of armed in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 23 Apr. 2024
In the capital, many residents have built barricades to deter armed criminal groups from entering their neighborhoods.
—Edwidge Danticat, The New Yorker, 23 Apr. 2024
Since the end of World War II, wars between states have sharply declined, but conflicts involving nonstate armed groups have risen.
—Oona A. Hathaway, Foreign Affairs, 23 Apr. 2024
Based on video from a doorbell camera at the Malinowski house, armed agents approached the front door with tactical gear.
—Alex Thomas, arkansasonline.com, 22 Apr. 2024
Other funding, particularly for certain ethnic armed groups, derives from the trade in illicit drugs or taxes on the gray economy.
—Hannah Beech Adam Ferguson, New York Times, 20 Apr. 2024
The Ukrainian Parliament is considering a bill that would prohibit religious organisations that are controlled from a country waging armed aggression against Ukraine.
—Peter Pomerantsev, TIME, 20 Apr. 2024
Hall, a Columbus resident who police said was not armed, later died at a hospital.
—Mark Scolforo, Fortune, 20 Apr. 2024
In the filmmaker’s vision, American life exists only because of armed patrols.
—Eisa Nefertari Ulen, The Hollywood Reporter, 18 Apr. 2024
Adjective
The first aircraft to land on the country’s main runway since an insurgency by armed groups forced the cancellation of all domestic and international flights into the capital nearly two months ago, the military aircraft landed shortly before 11 a.m.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 23 Apr. 2024
In the capital, many residents have built barricades to deter armed criminal groups from entering their neighborhoods.
—Edwidge Danticat, The New Yorker, 23 Apr. 2024
Since the end of World War II, wars between states have sharply declined, but conflicts involving nonstate armed groups have risen.
—Oona A. Hathaway, Foreign Affairs, 23 Apr. 2024
Based on video from a doorbell camera at the Malinowski house, armed agents approached the front door with tactical gear.
—Alex Thomas, arkansasonline.com, 22 Apr. 2024
Other funding, particularly for certain ethnic armed groups, derives from the trade in illicit drugs or taxes on the gray economy.
—Hannah Beech Adam Ferguson, New York Times, 20 Apr. 2024
The Ukrainian Parliament is considering a bill that would prohibit religious organisations that are controlled from a country waging armed aggression against Ukraine.
—Peter Pomerantsev, TIME, 20 Apr. 2024
Hall, a Columbus resident who police said was not armed, later died at a hospital.
—Mark Scolforo, Fortune, 20 Apr. 2024
In the filmmaker’s vision, American life exists only because of armed patrols.
—Eisa Nefertari Ulen, The Hollywood Reporter, 18 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'armed.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near armed
Cite this Entry
“Armed.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/armed. Accessed 27 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
armed
adjective1
: having an arm or arms especially of a specified kind or number
—usually used in combination
long-armed
two-armed
2
: having a spiny rostellum
a tapeworm armed with numerous hammer-shaped hooks
Legal Definition
armed
adjective1
: having a weapon
an armed assailant
2
: involving the use of a weapon
an armed attack
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share