gun rights

plural noun

U.S. politics
: legal rights that allow civilians to own, use, and sell guns
supporters of gun rights
often used before another noun
gun rights advocates/groups

Note: The term gun rights often suggests support for an interpretation of the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution that favors broad rights to gun ownership.

Examples of gun rights 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.
Oyer initially expressed concern to her superiors about restoring Gibson’s gun rights without a sufficient background investigation, particularly given Gibson’s history of domestic violence. Cassandra Burke Robertson, The Conversation, 23 Apr. 2025 That was challenged by gun rights groups which have filed similar lawsuits in Georgia, Illinois and Pennsylvania. Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 22 Apr. 2025 Neither case noted dissents from any justices, signaling an unwillingness to wade any further into constitutional gun rights, for now. Ella Lee, The Hill, 21 Apr. 2025 The Court ruled 8–1 in favor of maintaining the law, signaling that even after its broad 2022 expansion of gun rights, some restrictions remain constitutionally permissible. Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Apr. 2025 So might the Second Amendment’s guarantees of gun rights. Thomas Elias, Mercury News, 11 Apr. 2025 Mel Gibson's gun rights will reportedly be restored more than a decade after losing them over a domestic violence incident. Rachel Raposas, People.com, 4 Apr. 2025 In early March, DOJ officials terminated pardon attorney Liz Oyer after she was pressured to add actor Mel Gibson, who was recently named as a special ambassador to Hollywood by Trump, to a list of those recommended for restoration of gun rights. Ashleigh Fields, The Hill, 9 Apr. 2025 Liz Oyer, who has said she was fired as the department’s pardon attorney last month after refusing a request to recommend that actor Mel Gibson’s gun rights be restored, is among several witnesses invited to appear Monday before a joint hearing of House and Senate lawmakers. Eric Tucker and Alanna Durkin Richer, Los Angeles Times, 7 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1964, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of gun rights was in 1964

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Cite this Entry

“Gun rights.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gun%20rights. Accessed 1 May. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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