handgun
noun
hand·gun
ˈhan(d)-ˌgən 
: a firearm (such as a revolver or pistol) designed to be held and fired with one hand
Examples of handgun in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
According to trial testimony, on Black Friday in 2021, James Crumbley and his son went to an Oxford gun shop and purchased a 9mm Sig Sauer handgun that the boy had long begged for, according to the teen's journal.
—
Tresa Baldas, Detroit Free Press, 4 Apr. 2024
James Crumbley purchased handgun for Ethan Crumbley Ethan Crumbley, who was 15 at the time of the shooting, pleaded guilty to all his crimes and is serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole.
—Tresa Baldas, USA TODAY, 4 Apr. 2024
The video also showed that a rifle, handguns, flash-bang and smoke grenades were recovered from the scene, along with ammunition and body armor, but officials did not say whether Savannah was armed when she was gunned down.
—Nathan Solis, Los Angeles Times, 3 Apr. 2024
By my second visit to Pittsburgh, in November, 2022, Vincent had decided to stay permanently in the U.S., been baptized in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and added an AK-47 and two Sig Sauer handguns to his arsenal.
—Peter Hessler, The New Yorker, 1 Apr. 2024
Two officers arrived at the home near the intersection of Ross and Leigh avenues to find the man standing in his front yard, armed with a handgun.
—Kate Talerico, The Mercury News, 30 Mar. 2024
The report listed a shotgun and two handguns in his possession.
—Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 22 Mar. 2024
The shooting happened around 4 p.m. on Jan. 20, 2023, when Reed, wearing a balaclava that covered most of his face and carrying a handgun, got out of a car at the Whataburger on West Berry Street near the high school, police wrote in an arrest warrant affidavit.
—James Hartley, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 Mar. 2024
Kidwell had an active domestic violence protection order against Gentry and tried to call 911 when Gentry allegedly shot her with a handgun.
—Quinlan Bentley, The Enquirer, 27 Mar. 2024
Tresa Baldas, Detroit Free Press, 4 Apr. 2024
James Crumbley purchased handgun for Ethan Crumbley Ethan Crumbley, who was 15 at the time of the shooting, pleaded guilty to all his crimes and is serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole.
—Tresa Baldas, USA TODAY, 4 Apr. 2024
The video also showed that a rifle, handguns, flash-bang and smoke grenades were recovered from the scene, along with ammunition and body armor, but officials did not say whether Savannah was armed when she was gunned down.
—Nathan Solis, Los Angeles Times, 3 Apr. 2024
By my second visit to Pittsburgh, in November, 2022, Vincent had decided to stay permanently in the U.S., been baptized in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and added an AK-47 and two Sig Sauer handguns to his arsenal.
—Peter Hessler, The New Yorker, 1 Apr. 2024
Two officers arrived at the home near the intersection of Ross and Leigh avenues to find the man standing in his front yard, armed with a handgun.
—Kate Talerico, The Mercury News, 30 Mar. 2024
The report listed a shotgun and two handguns in his possession.
—Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 22 Mar. 2024
The shooting happened around 4 p.m. on Jan. 20, 2023, when Reed, wearing a balaclava that covered most of his face and carrying a handgun, got out of a car at the Whataburger on West Berry Street near the high school, police wrote in an arrest warrant affidavit.
—James Hartley, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 Mar. 2024
Kidwell had an active domestic violence protection order against Gentry and tried to call 911 when Gentry allegedly shot her with a handgun.
—Quinlan Bentley, The Enquirer, 27 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'handgun.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Handgun.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/handgun. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
handgun
noun
hand·gun
ˈhan(d)-ˌgən
: a firearm designed to be held and fired with one hand
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