Meaning & use
weaponize
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Meanings
verbtransitivemilitary
To turn something into a weapon, or make it able to be used in fighting.
Grammar: Takes an object: scientists weaponized the virus.
Patterns
- weaponize something
Several countries tried to weaponize chemical agents during the twentieth century.
Treaties now forbid nations from weaponizing outer space.
Engineers worried that the new drones could be weaponized by terrorists.
verbtransitivefigurative
To use something harmless, such as information or a rule, deliberately to hurt or gain power over others.
Grammar: Takes an object, and the sense is figurative: weaponize social media.
Patterns
- weaponize something against someone
- weaponize something to do something
Critics say the campaign weaponized people's fear of crime to win votes.
He weaponized the company's complaints procedure to get his rival fired.
Online trolls weaponize jokes and memes to harass strangers.
Word forms
| third person singular | weaponizes |
|---|---|
| past tense | weaponized |
| past participle | weaponized |
| -ing form | weaponizing |
Common combinations
- weaponize information
- Hostile governments try to weaponize information to confuse voters.
- weaponize social media
- Extremists weaponize social media to spread hatred.
- weaponize technology
- Many scientists oppose efforts to weaponize artificial intelligence.
- weaponize fear
- Some politicians weaponize fear to gain support.
- weaponized against
- Her private messages were weaponized against her during the trial.
Synonyms and how they differ
- arm
- Arm means to give someone weapons, whereas weaponize makes the thing itself into a weapon.
- exploit
- Exploit means to take unfair advantage of something, and it lacks the idea of making it a tool for attack.
- militarize
- Militarize means to give a place or group military character and forces, which is broader and less aggressive than weaponizing one thing.
- turn into a weapon
- Turn into a weapon is the plain phrase that weaponize replaces, and it works more clearly in simple writing.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: weaponize or weaponise?
weaponize vs weaponise
Weaponise is the British spelling of the same word; weaponize is the American spelling.
Practice
The author argues that hostile groups ____ rumors online so that they hurt the target rather than just entertain.
Choose one answer.
Weaponize means to use something harmless as a tool for causing harm. Weaken would mean making rumors less strong, which does not fit the idea.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “weaponize”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.