arms race

noun

: a race between hostile nations to accumulate or develop weapons
broadly : an ever escalating race or competition

Examples of arms race in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Countries across three continents are spending $2 trillion on a new, technological arms race, according to Bloomberg, including anti-satellite weapons to counter threats from space. — Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 7 July 2026 What follows is an arms race in which both sides run on AI, and the only thing that operates at the speed and scale of an autonomous attacker is an autonomous defender. — Jon Markman, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026 Shielded by their dual-class structure, the founders ignored the pressure and sustained a decade-long capital commitment to technology R&D, which did not pay off for years but which now positions them at the forefront of the global AI arms race. — Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 6 July 2026 For years, the motorcycle industry has been caught in an arms race. — New Atlas, 6 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for arms race

Word History

First Known Use

1921, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of arms race was in 1921

Rhymes for arms race

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Browse Nearby Words

arm spread
arms race
arm stake
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Cite this Entry

“Arms race.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/arms%20race. Accessed 14 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on arms race

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about arms race

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