ordnance
noun
ord·nance
ˈȯrd-nən(t)s 
1
a
: military supplies including weapons, ammunition, combat vehicles, and maintenance tools and equipment
bombers dropped heavy concentrations of ordnance on every targeted airfield—
Ron Dick
Ron Dick
b
: a service of the army charged with the procuring, distributing, and safekeeping of ordnance
Examples of ordnance in a Sentence
The company was outfitted with 50-millimeter ordnance.
the army is waiting for the heavy ordnance to be brought in
Recent Examples on the Web
Such ordnance killed as many U.S. military ground troops during the 1991 Persian Gulf War as were lost to enemy fire.
—John Ismay, New York Times, 25 Jan. 2025
The multinational force will play a key role in initial reconstruction efforts by ensuring basic humanitarian needs, repairing critical infrastructure, minimizing the hazards caused by threats like unexploded ordnance, and overseeing and coordinating international development efforts.
—Nir Arielli, Newsweek, 16 Jan. 2025
When the Second World War approached, a great problem in naval ordnance was coming with it.
—John McPhee, The New Yorker, 13 Jan. 2025
Surprisingly, around 2,000 tons - yes tons - of unexploded ordnance is found, and detonated, annually in Germany.
—Jim Clash, Forbes, 18 Jan. 2025
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John Ismay, New York Times, 25 Jan. 2025
The multinational force will play a key role in initial reconstruction efforts by ensuring basic humanitarian needs, repairing critical infrastructure, minimizing the hazards caused by threats like unexploded ordnance, and overseeing and coordinating international development efforts.
—Nir Arielli, Newsweek, 16 Jan. 2025
When the Second World War approached, a great problem in naval ordnance was coming with it.
—John McPhee, The New Yorker, 13 Jan. 2025
Surprisingly, around 2,000 tons - yes tons - of unexploded ordnance is found, and detonated, annually in Germany.
—Jim Clash, Forbes, 18 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for ordnance
Dictionary Entries Near ordnance
Cite this Entry
“Ordnance.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ordnance. Accessed 10 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
ordnance
noun
ord·nance
ˈȯrd-nən(t)s
1
: military supplies
also
: the branch of the army that obtains and gives out military supplies
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