ghost gun
noun
plural ghost guns
: a gun that lacks a serial number by which it can be identified and that is typically assembled by the user (as from purchased or homemade components)
Ghost guns, cobbled together with various parts often purchased separately, are popular among hobbyists and firearms enthusiasts.—
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
St. Louis Post-DispatchThe issue centers on so-called ghost guns, which consist of untraceable parts that can be ordered online and then, with a little finishing work, assembled into a working firearm.—Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles TimesEven so, they haven't been outlawed; buying or selling a ghost gun is illegal, but making one remains kosher under US gun control laws.—Andy Greenberg
Andy GreenbergExamples of ghost gun in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The effects of this ghost gun marketplace are not only theoretical.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 29 Mar. 2025
Supreme Court Upholds Biden-Era Rules on Ghost Guns The Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Biden administration’s regulations on ghost guns this week, allowing federal oversight of untraceable firearm kits sold online, according to NBC News.
—Essence, 28 Mar. 2025
The ghost gun issue has been a particularly vexing one for California.
—Anita Chabria, Los Angeles Times, 27 Mar. 2025
Before police arrived, prosecutors said, Pasco put the 9mm ghost gun in a closet.
—Caroline Kubzansky, Chicago Tribune, 12 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ghost gun
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New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 29 Mar. 2025
Supreme Court Upholds Biden-Era Rules on Ghost Guns The Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Biden administration’s regulations on ghost guns this week, allowing federal oversight of untraceable firearm kits sold online, according to NBC News.
—Essence, 28 Mar. 2025
The ghost gun issue has been a particularly vexing one for California.
—Anita Chabria, Los Angeles Times, 27 Mar. 2025
Before police arrived, prosecutors said, Pasco put the 9mm ghost gun in a closet.
—Caroline Kubzansky, Chicago Tribune, 12 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ghost gun
Cite this Entry
“Ghost gun.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ghost%20gun. Accessed 9 Apr. 2025.
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