1
a
: furnished with weapons
an armed guard
also
: using or involving a weapon
b
: furnished with something that provides security, strength, or efficacy
armed with knowledge
2
: marked by the maintenance of armed forces in readiness
: having an arm or arms especially of a specified kind or number
—usually used in combination
long-armed
two-armed
Examples of armed in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Kaelan Deese, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 24 Jan. 2025
Hamas still alive but weakened When the Israeli hostages were released Sunday, they were surrounded by masked, armed Hamas militants, in green headbands and chanting slogans, who marched through streets no longer under Israeli bombardment.
—Tracy Wilkinson, Los Angeles Times, 24 Jan. 2025
The two still-unidentified men reportedly talked about being armed and tried to provoke a confrontation.
—Robert Salonga, The Mercury News, 22 Jan. 2025
The incident resulted in new policy from the sheriff's office about how to deal with encounters where someone is legally armed, according to the internal affairs report.
—Kerry Breen, CBS News, 22 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for armed 
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.
Adjective
In June, three armed U.S. marshals arrived at Haim’s door to serve him with a felony indictment.
—Kaelan Deese, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 24 Jan. 2025
Hamas still alive but weakened When the Israeli hostages were released Sunday, they were surrounded by masked, armed Hamas militants, in green headbands and chanting slogans, who marched through streets no longer under Israeli bombardment.
—Tracy Wilkinson, Los Angeles Times, 24 Jan. 2025
The two still-unidentified men reportedly talked about being armed and tried to provoke a confrontation.
—Robert Salonga, The Mercury News, 22 Jan. 2025
The incident resulted in new policy from the sheriff's office about how to deal with encounters where someone is legally armed, according to the internal affairs report.
—Kerry Breen, CBS News, 22 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for armed
Dictionary Entries Near armed
Cite this Entry
“Armed.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/armed. Accessed 29 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
armed
adjective1
: having an arm or arms especially of a specified kind or number
—usually used in combination
long-armed
two-armed
2
: having a spiny rostellum
a tapeworm armed with numerous hammer-shaped hooks
Legal Definition
armed
adjective1
: having a weapon
an armed assailant
2
: involving the use of a weapon
an armed attack
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share