as in firearm
a portable weapon from which a shot is discharged by gunpowder
the soldiers keep their small arms securely in their holsters when not on patrol
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Recent Examples of small arm
Batons, sticks, pipes, and small arms are among their favorite weapons.
—
Sean Durns, The Washington Examiner, 12 Sep. 2025
From small arms to nuclear platforms, China has unveiled a new generation of weapons across every domain of warfare on Wednesday at a military parade marking the 80th anniversary of its victory in World War II.
—Kapil Kajal, Interesting Engineering, 3 Sep. 2025
Iraq had plenty of small arms and ammunition, which could kill Americans but would often plink harmlessly off their armored vehicles.
—Graeme Wood, The Atlantic, 2 Sep. 2025
According to a May 2025 report from the German government, this aid includes equipment and weapons such as air defense systems, combat vehicles, artillery systems, armored transport vehicles, small arms, and ammunition, as well as other types of support, including medical supplies and clothing.
—Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 19 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for small arm
Sean Durns, The Washington Examiner, 12 Sep. 2025
From small arms to nuclear platforms, China has unveiled a new generation of weapons across every domain of warfare on Wednesday at a military parade marking the 80th anniversary of its victory in World War II.
—Kapil Kajal, Interesting Engineering, 3 Sep. 2025
Iraq had plenty of small arms and ammunition, which could kill Americans but would often plink harmlessly off their armored vehicles.
—Graeme Wood, The Atlantic, 2 Sep. 2025
According to a May 2025 report from the German government, this aid includes equipment and weapons such as air defense systems, combat vehicles, artillery systems, armored transport vehicles, small arms, and ammunition, as well as other types of support, including medical supplies and clothing.
—Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 19 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for small arm
Recent Examples of Synonyms for small arm
Noun
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Advertisement What the Supreme Court is considering At issue before the Supreme Court is whether the federal statute barring gun ownership for unlawful drug users is similar enough to other historical restrictions on firearm possession.—
Solcyré Burga,
Time,
27 Oct. 2025
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Police officers swarmed a 16-year-old high school student last week after an artificial intelligence (AI) gun detection system mistakenly flagged his bag of chips as a firearm, leaving officials and students shaken.—
Bonny Chu,
FOXNews.com,
27 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Joel’s skepticism about the note—questioning whether his father even owned a gun—sets him on a path of investigation that gradually unravels the dark secrets of the Lazarus family.—
Isabella Wandermurem,
Time,
22 Oct. 2025
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The organization works to support families affected by racial and gun violence while also pushing for changes to policies like Stand Your Ground laws.—
Allison DeGrushe,
Entertainment Weekly,
22 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Small arm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/small%20arm. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
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