1
: carrying a load
a loaded freight train
: such as
a
: containing an explosive charge
a loaded warhead
: having bullets inside
a loaded handgun
b
of a camera
: having film inside
2
informal
: having a large amount of something
a store loaded with goods
a report loaded with errors
: such as
a
: having a large amount of money : wealthy
She left them a fortune and the family is now loaded.
b
: equipped with an abundance of features
a fully loaded car
c
: filled or topped with many things
a loaded baked potato
d
: featuring a great amount of top-level talent
a basketball team with a loaded roster
a loaded competition
3
chiefly US slang
: intoxicated by alcohol or drugs
especially
: drunk
They got loaded at the party.
… no matter how loaded he got, Billy did his drinking at home and always put the cans in the recycling bin … —
Stephen King
Stephen King 4
a
: carrying a hidden or secondary meaning that is capable of causing unease
Because "asylum" is a loaded term, it can draw attention to crucial issues facing vulnerable Americans, but it also tends to foreclose discussion of real solutions.—The New York Times
The New York Times"You tell me," Cora said. "Do you think I had a therapist?" Aaron's mouth fell open. That was a loaded question. Any answer would be wrong.—Parnell Hall
Parnell Hall
b
: weighted to favor a specific outcome
loaded dice
(figurative) … the dice of life are loaded in favor of first borns in ways they simply aren't for any siblings who come along later.—Jeffrey Kluger
Jeffrey Klugerloaded
2 of 2past tense and past participle of load entry 2
Synonyms
Examples of loaded in a Sentence
Adjective
He said he didn't know the gun was loaded.
the department stores were loaded with goods for the holiday shopping season
Recent Examples on the WebNatasha Lovato, USA TODAY, 12 Apr. 2024
Police followed around Pike’s purple Cadillac Escalade and arrested him in October 2022 on suspicion of possessing 3.5 pounds of methamphetamine, and again in December with one pound of the drug and a loaded gun, authorities said in court records.
—Nate Gartrell, The Mercury News, 11 Apr. 2024
That’s a bit of a loaded question; there is no best way to consume Delta 8 THC.
—Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 3 Apr. 2024
That’s a loaded question, there’s a lot of guys to watch this year.
—Daniel Kohn, SPIN, 27 Mar. 2024
The problem with this loaded question is that it is based in fallacy.
—The San Diego Union-Tribune Staff, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Feb. 2024
In September 2023, Dorsey was released after serving 12 years of a 14-year sentence after pleading guilty to federal weapons charges; he was arrested in 2009 along with two others when police stopped him in New Orleans and found three guns and a loaded magazine in the car.
—Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 30 Mar. 2024
Birria egg rolls with Fresno chile slice and loaded fries.
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Mar. 2024
In addition to finding the 9mm handgun with a loaded magazine beside it, officers also found a rifle round in a men’s jacket inside a closet, court documents show.
—Daniella Segura, Sacramento Bee, 22 Mar. 2024
Adjective
State Representative Don Wilson left a loaded, 9mm Glock handgun in a bathroom of the Colorado State Capitol on Tuesday, on the heels of a bill under consideration to prohibit firearms in sensitive spaces—including the Rotunda.
—Natasha Lovato, USA TODAY, 12 Apr. 2024
Police followed around Pike’s purple Cadillac Escalade and arrested him in October 2022 on suspicion of possessing 3.5 pounds of methamphetamine, and again in December with one pound of the drug and a loaded gun, authorities said in court records.
—Nate Gartrell, The Mercury News, 11 Apr. 2024
That’s a bit of a loaded question; there is no best way to consume Delta 8 THC.
—Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 3 Apr. 2024
That’s a loaded question, there’s a lot of guys to watch this year.
—Daniel Kohn, SPIN, 27 Mar. 2024
The problem with this loaded question is that it is based in fallacy.
—The San Diego Union-Tribune Staff, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Feb. 2024
In September 2023, Dorsey was released after serving 12 years of a 14-year sentence after pleading guilty to federal weapons charges; he was arrested in 2009 along with two others when police stopped him in New Orleans and found three guns and a loaded magazine in the car.
—Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 30 Mar. 2024
Birria egg rolls with Fresno chile slice and loaded fries.
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Mar. 2024
In addition to finding the 9mm handgun with a loaded magazine beside it, officers also found a rifle round in a men’s jacket inside a closet, court documents show.
—Daniella Segura, Sacramento Bee, 22 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'loaded.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near loaded
Cite this Entry
“Loaded.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/loaded. Accessed 24 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
loaded
adjective
load·ed
ˈlōd-əd 
1
slang
: drunk entry 2 sense 1
2
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