loaded

1 of 2

adjective

load·​ed ˈlō-dəd How to pronounce loaded (audio)
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
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
"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
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

loaded

2 of 2

past tense and past participle of load entry 2

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 Web
Adjective
Police said the officer separated the student from his backpack, which contained a loaded gun. Sarah Ritter, Kansas City Star, 26 Feb. 2024 At the time of Hurtado’s arrest, officers found three loaded guns and two bulletproof vests, according to the release. Julia Marnin, Miami Herald, 16 Feb. 2024 Carlsbad and a loaded Del Norte team could have something to say about the champion. San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Feb. 2024 So my birthday's always been this very loaded period for me. Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 9 Feb. 2024 And the Dodgers lineup is so loaded, this offers him his best final chance to win a World Series in a season not abbreviated by a pandemic. Bill Plaschke, Los Angeles Times, 7 Feb. 2024 In 2021, about 30 million American children lived in homes with firearms, including 4.6 million in households with loaded and unlocked firearms, according to a national firearms survey. Samantha Young, Los Angeles Times, 27 Feb. 2024 The loaded Korean Fire Fries, though, were a unanimous No. 1 (photographer Phil Didion also raved about these). David Wysong, The Enquirer, 23 Feb. 2024 That’s at the upper end of Honda’s price range, where a loaded Pilot SUV tops out at $52,480. Mark Phelan, Detroit Free Press, 22 Feb. 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.

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1577, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of loaded was in 1577

Dictionary Entries Near loaded

Cite this Entry

“Loaded.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/loaded. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

loaded

adjective
load·​ed ˈlōd-əd How to pronounce loaded (audio)

More from Merriam-Webster on loaded

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