bayonet

1 of 2

noun

bay·​o·​net ˈbā-ə-nət How to pronounce bayonet (audio)
-ˌnet, 
ˌbā-ə-ˈnet How to pronounce bayonet (audio)
Synonyms of bayonetnext
: a steel blade attached at the muzzle end of a shoulder arm (such as a rifle) and used in hand-to-hand combat

bayonet

2 of 2

verb

bayoneted also bayonetted; bayoneting also bayonetting

transitive verb

1
: to stab with a bayonet
2
: to compel or drive by or as if by the bayonet

intransitive verb

: to use a bayonet

Examples of bayonet 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.
Noun
The stone bayonet from the rifle carved over the back of a third statue was also missing. — Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 23 Oct. 2026 Both his suggestion and the jolly appreciation seem out of tune with the situation ‘far from home’, which may be a military manoeuvre involving mock battles and bayonet practice, or a preparation for actual combat. — Literary Hub, 11 Aug. 2026
Verb
At Kanadesaga, the Continental Army had burned at least 50 Seneca houses, tore ripe corn and beans from the fields, and bayoneted pumpkins. — James Whorton Jr, Longreads, 13 Oct. 2026 The Romanov family was fatally shot and bayoneted in a chaotic haze of smoke and dust. — Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 9 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for bayonet

Word History

Etymology

Noun

French baïonnette, from Bayonne, France

First Known Use

Noun

1680, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1778, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of bayonet was in 1680

Phrases Containing bayonet

Rhymes for bayonet

See All Rhymes for bayonet

Browse Nearby Words

bayok
bayonet
bayonet gauge
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bayonet.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bayonet. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

bayonet

1 of 2 noun
bay·​o·​net ˈbā-ə-nət How to pronounce bayonet (audio) -ˌnet How to pronounce bayonet (audio)
ˌbā-ə-ˈnet
: a weapon like a dagger made to fit on the muzzle end of a rifle

bayonet

2 of 2 verb
bayoneted also bayonetted; bayoneting also bayonetting
: to stab with a bayonet

More from Merriam-Webster on bayonet

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for bayonet

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about bayonet

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