arms race

noun

: a race between hostile nations to accumulate or develop weapons
broadly : an ever escalating race or competition

Examples of arms race in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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These minerals were critical for the burgeoning electronics industry — and for the weapons demanded by the growing arms race with the Soviet Union. Duncan Money / Made By History, TIME, 8 Jan. 2025 Will the fight against spoofing always be an arms race? IEEE Spectrum, 29 Dec. 2024 With only so many prize pieces available—and in good condition—celebrities and their stylists seem to be in an arms race of sorts, clamoring for the most impressive pieces from John Galliano’s Dior or Alexander McQueen’s Givenchy. This year raised the bar for archival fashion. Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 20 Dec. 2024 What played out was often an IP arms race between three major studios, with Disney, Universal and Warner Bros. responsible for nearly all of 2024’s top-earning tentpoles. Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 19 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for arms race 

Word History

First Known Use

1921, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of arms race was in 1921

Dictionary Entries Near arms race

Cite this Entry

“Arms race.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/arms%20race. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.

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