Illustration of sword
- 1 pommel
- 2 hilt
- 3 guard
- 4 blade
often attributive
1
: a weapon (such as a cutlass or rapier) with a long blade for cutting or thrusting that is often used as a symbol of honor or authority
2
a
: an agency or instrument of destruction or combat
b
: the use of force
The pen is mightier than the sword.—
Edward G. Bulwer-Lytton
Edward G. Bulwer-Lytton3
: coercive power
4
: something that resembles a sword
see also:
Examples of sword in a Sentence
once upon a time dueling with swords was the gentlemanly way to settle a point of honor
Recent Examples on the Web
Baena wrote in an Instagram post celebrating his victory, accompanied by several photos and videos of him posing on stage with a sword and gladiator-style helmet.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 5 Apr. 2026
The person opened the door armed with a sword and stabbed a Boston Police officer in the arm and knocked the clinician to the ground, according to police.
—Riley Rourke, CBS News, 4 Apr. 2026
In the biblical sequence Hanke invoked, the plowshares-into-swords moment is the penultimate act—the mobilization before the reckoning.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 3 Apr. 2026
Campers can while away their hours with axe throwing, Quidditch matches, foam sword fights, live-action role-play, escape room challenges and more.
—Robin Roenker, USA Today, 2 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sword
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.
Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 5 Apr. 2026
The person opened the door armed with a sword and stabbed a Boston Police officer in the arm and knocked the clinician to the ground, according to police.
—Riley Rourke, CBS News, 4 Apr. 2026
In the biblical sequence Hanke invoked, the plowshares-into-swords moment is the penultimate act—the mobilization before the reckoning.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 3 Apr. 2026
Campers can while away their hours with axe throwing, Quidditch matches, foam sword fights, live-action role-play, escape room challenges and more.
—Robin Roenker, USA Today, 2 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sword
Cite this Entry
“Sword.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sword. Accessed 8 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
