semiautomatic
adjective
semi·au·to·mat·ic
ˌse-mē-ˌȯ-tə-ˈma-tik 
ˌse-ˌmī-,
-mi-
: not fully automatic: such as
a
: operated partly automatically and partly by hand
b
of a firearm
: able to fire repeatedly through an automatic reloading process but requiring release and another pressure of the trigger for each successive shot
a semiautomatic rifle
semiautomatic
noun
Examples of semiautomatic in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Aysha Bagchi The Supreme Court agreed Tuesday to review lawsuits challenging bans on AR-15s and other semiautomatic rifles in both Connecticut and Chicago's Cook County, Illinois.
—
Maureen Groppe,
USA Today,
1 July 2026
The federal government argues in its complaint that California can’t ban legal semiautomatic handguns simply because they could be illegally altered, adding that state and federal law already prohibit such pistol converters.
—
Gavin J. Quinton,
Los Angeles Times,
1 July 2026
The justices will consider whether bans on semiautomatic rifles violate the Constitution.
—
ABC News,
1 July 2026
Justices agreed to decide in the next term whether states and local governments can ban semiautomatic rifles.
—
Elizabeth Robinson,
NBC news,
1 July 2026
See All Example Sentences for semiautomatic
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Maureen Groppe,
USA Today,
1 July 2026
The federal government argues in its complaint that California can’t ban legal semiautomatic handguns simply because they could be illegally altered, adding that state and federal law already prohibit such pistol converters.
—
Gavin J. Quinton,
Los Angeles Times,
1 July 2026
The justices will consider whether bans on semiautomatic rifles violate the Constitution.
—
ABC News,
1 July 2026
Justices agreed to decide in the next term whether states and local governments can ban semiautomatic rifles.
—
Elizabeth Robinson,
NBC news,
1 July 2026
See All Example Sentences for semiautomatic
Cite this Entry
“Semiautomatic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/semiautomatic. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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