death ray

noun

: a weapon that generates an intense beam of particles or radiation by which it destroys its target

Examples of death ray 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.
Each match culminates in an all-hands-on-deck fight against the enemy’s Patron, a gigantic floating orb with arms and death rays. Sean Hollister, The Verge, 13 Aug. 2024 Recently, the garrulous Leon Trotsky has told the world to beware of a new Russian death ray. Mark Fischetti, Scientific American, 25 June 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1896, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of death ray was in 1896

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Cite this Entry

“Death ray.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/death%20ray. Accessed 22 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

death ray

noun
: a weapon that generates an intense beam of particles or radiation by which it destroys its target
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