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
These insights came from the Office of Net Assessment, a small arm of the Department of Defense that has, through its independent analyses, for decades played a vital role in informing senior Pentagon leaders’ strategic planning and policy priorities.
—
Andrew F. Krepinevich, Foreign Affairs, 2 Apr. 2025
Another pair of small arms — possibly belonging to Prince Archie — can be seen off to the side, holding a piece of cake.
—Kimberlee Speakman, People.com, 12 Apr. 2025
There will be moments, in any month’s pause, where small arms clashes, or drone strikes, prove impossible to attribute to either side as the aggressor: where AI-manipulation, or faked accounts, or entirely fictitious incidents, fill the information space.
—Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, 11 Mar. 2025
Based on the West’s response to Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 and its relatively small arms provisions during the run-up to the war in 2022, Moscow might reasonably have assumed that the United States and Europe would not provide major support for Ukraine, or at least not in time.
—Dara Massicot, Foreign Affairs, 8 Feb. 2023
See All Example Sentences for small arm
Andrew F. Krepinevich, Foreign Affairs, 2 Apr. 2025
Another pair of small arms — possibly belonging to Prince Archie — can be seen off to the side, holding a piece of cake.
—Kimberlee Speakman, People.com, 12 Apr. 2025
There will be moments, in any month’s pause, where small arms clashes, or drone strikes, prove impossible to attribute to either side as the aggressor: where AI-manipulation, or faked accounts, or entirely fictitious incidents, fill the information space.
—Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, 11 Mar. 2025
Based on the West’s response to Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 and its relatively small arms provisions during the run-up to the war in 2022, Moscow might reasonably have assumed that the United States and Europe would not provide major support for Ukraine, or at least not in time.
—Dara Massicot, Foreign Affairs, 8 Feb. 2023
See All Example Sentences for small arm
Recent Examples of Synonyms for small arm
Noun
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The bill has come under scrutiny, as a similar type of firearm was used in a 2018 school shooting in Santa Fe, Texas.—
Andrew Stanton,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 May 2025
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Scott, formerly of Hartford, was convicted of kidnapping resulting in Velez’s death and with causing the death of Velez through the use of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.—
Staff report,
Hartford Courant,
29 May 2025
Noun
-
In the 200-meter dash, Bednarek controlled the race from the gun, making his competitors work hard to catch him coming around the turn.—
Katelyn Hutchison,
Forbes.com,
2 June 2025
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Ceja reportedly pulled out a gun and shot Joss before fleeing.—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
2 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Small arm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/small%20arm. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.
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