weapons

Meanings

1. 1nounplural

   Objects such as guns, knives or bombs that are made or used to injure, kill or damage.

   Grammar: Often used without the: the police found weapons in the car.

   Patterns

   • carry weapons
   • weapons of something
   • ban weapons

   Police found several weapons hidden in the garage.

   No weapons are allowed on the plane.

   The country has agreed to destroy its chemical weapons.

2. 2nounpluralfigurative

   Skills, tactics or qualities that can be used to win an argument, contest or struggle.

   Grammar: Used figuratively, often with a possessive: patience and humor were her weapons; singular weapon is used for one quality.

   Patterns

   • use something as a weapon
   • weapons in the fight against something

   Good data is one of the best weapons against rumors.

   The team's speed and teamwork were its weapons in the final.

   Education is among our strongest weapons in the fight against poverty.

Word forms

Common combinations

nuclear weapons

Many nations have agreed to limit nuclear weapons.

concealed weapons

Guards check bags for concealed weapons.

carry weapons

Visitors are not allowed to carry weapons inside.

weapons of mass destruction

Inspectors searched the site for weapons of mass destruction.

stockpile weapons

The group was accused of stockpiling weapons.

lay down weapons

Both sides agreed to lay down their weapons.

Synonyms and how they differ

arms

Arms is a more formal word used for military weapons, as in the arms trade, whereas weapons is common for any such object.

firearms

Firearms means only guns, but weapons also covers knives, bombs and more.

armaments

Armaments is formal and means the military weapons a country holds.

ammunition

Ammunition is what weapons fire, such as bullets, rather than the weapons themselves.

Opposites

Word family

weapon noun

one such object

weaponry noun

weapons considered as a group

weaponize verb

to turn something into a weapon

weaponized adjective

adapted for use as a weapon

unarmed adjective

not carrying weapons

Commonly confused: weapons or weather?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “weapons”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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