machete

noun

ma·​chete mə-ˈshe-tē How to pronounce machete (audio)
-ˈche-;
-ˈshet
: a large heavy knife used for cutting sugarcane and underbrush and as a weapon

Examples of machete in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Sheen took the boot and swung a machete around on a rooftop to the tune of a million Twitter followers in a day and die-hard fans cheering his meltdown one-man shows. Zoe Guy, Vulture, 9 Sep. 2025 That includes a disturbing attack in a Regal Cinema parking lot in 2022 involving a man who says he was attacked at random by the same suspect who was brandishing a machete. Michael Dorgan, FOXNews.com, 9 Sep. 2025 The man and woman were assaulted, according to police, and they were both stabbed multiple times with a machete. Charlotte Phillipp, People.com, 31 Aug. 2025 The main suspect allegedly stole chemicals from his workplace to build a bomb, and also planned to drive his vehicle into the crowd congregated outside the stadium while armed with knives and machetes. Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 27 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for machete

Word History

Etymology

Spanish

First Known Use

1575, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of machete was in 1575

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Machete.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/machete. Accessed 14 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

machete

noun
ma·​chete mə-ˈshet-ē How to pronounce machete (audio)
-ˈchet-ē;
mə-ˈshet
: a large heavy knife used especially for cutting sugarcane and underbrush and as a weapon

More from Merriam-Webster on machete

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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