1
a
: furnished with weapons
an armed guard
also
: using or involving a weapon
b
: furnished with something that provides security, strength, or efficacy
armed with knowledge
2
: marked by the maintenance of armed forces in readiness
: having an arm or arms especially of a specified kind or number
—usually used in combination
long-armed
two-armed
Examples of armed in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Samantha Schmidt, Washington Post, 12 Apr. 2024
As attacks on political candidates have mounted, Mexican leaders have vowed swift prosecution and rolled out an effort to shield endangered candidates with armed escorts.
—David Shortell, CNN, 12 Apr. 2024
Iowa's Senate OKs a bill allowing armed school staff.
—Taylor Wilson, USA TODAY, 12 Apr. 2024
The movie sets up its dystopian futureworld with a handy bit of exposition: an armed alliance of states has launched a revolt against a fascist U.S. government.
—Stephanie Zacharek, TIME, 12 Apr. 2024
Iran also supports Hamas, the armed Palestinian group that led the Oct. 7 attack on southern Israel that triggered the current war, which Gaza health authorities say has killed more than 33,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, over the past six months.
—Peter Kenyon, NPR, 12 Apr. 2024
The Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office has charged Dwayne A. Barnes with two counts of first-degree assault, two counts of unlawful use of a weapon, and four counts of armed criminal action, all felonies, as well as a misdemeanor charge of resisting arrest.
—Robert A. Cronkleton, Kansas City Star, 11 Apr. 2024
Lester surrendered to police days later after having been charged with first-degree assault, a felony, and armed criminal action.
—Deon J. Hampton, NBC News, 11 Apr. 2024
Arguably the worst armed conflict of the twenty-first century so far is not the one unfolding in Gaza or in Ukraine, but rather the catastrophic civil war in Ethiopia that ended 18 months ago.
—Alex De Waal, Foreign Affairs, 8 Apr. 2024
Adjective
Videos purported to show armed takeovers at metro stops, universities, hospitals and other key facilities across the country.
—Samantha Schmidt, Washington Post, 12 Apr. 2024
As attacks on political candidates have mounted, Mexican leaders have vowed swift prosecution and rolled out an effort to shield endangered candidates with armed escorts.
—David Shortell, CNN, 12 Apr. 2024
Iowa's Senate OKs a bill allowing armed school staff.
—Taylor Wilson, USA TODAY, 12 Apr. 2024
The movie sets up its dystopian futureworld with a handy bit of exposition: an armed alliance of states has launched a revolt against a fascist U.S. government.
—Stephanie Zacharek, TIME, 12 Apr. 2024
Iran also supports Hamas, the armed Palestinian group that led the Oct. 7 attack on southern Israel that triggered the current war, which Gaza health authorities say has killed more than 33,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, over the past six months.
—Peter Kenyon, NPR, 12 Apr. 2024
The Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office has charged Dwayne A. Barnes with two counts of first-degree assault, two counts of unlawful use of a weapon, and four counts of armed criminal action, all felonies, as well as a misdemeanor charge of resisting arrest.
—Robert A. Cronkleton, Kansas City Star, 11 Apr. 2024
Lester surrendered to police days later after having been charged with first-degree assault, a felony, and armed criminal action.
—Deon J. Hampton, NBC News, 11 Apr. 2024
Arguably the worst armed conflict of the twenty-first century so far is not the one unfolding in Gaza or in Ukraine, but rather the catastrophic civil war in Ethiopia that ended 18 months ago.
—Alex De Waal, Foreign Affairs, 8 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'armed.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Phrases Containing armed
Dictionary Entries Near armed
Cite this Entry
“Armed.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/armed. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
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Kids Definition
armed
adjective1
: furnished with weapons
an armed guard
2
: furnished with something that provides security or strength
armed with knowledge
Medical Definition
armed
adjective1
: having an arm or arms especially of a specified kind or number
—usually used in combination
long-armed
two-armed
2
: having a spiny rostellum
a tapeworm armed with numerous hammer-shaped hooks
Legal Definition
armed
adjective1
: having a weapon
an armed assailant
2
: involving the use of a weapon
an armed attack
More from Merriam-Webster on armed
Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for armed
Nglish: Translation of armed for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of armed for Arabic Speakers
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