gun rights

plural noun

US politics
: legal rights that allow civilians to own, use, and sell guns
supporters of gun rights
—often used before another noun
gun rights advocates/groups

Note: The term gun rights often suggests support for an interpretation of the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution that favors broad rights to gun ownership.

Examples of gun rights 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.
The Supreme Court ruled to limit the power of the federal government to restrict the gun rights of casual drug users. — Will Gottsegen, The Atlantic, 18 June 2026 The court, which has a conservative majority, has expanded gun rights, including in two cases this term. — ABC News, 1 July 2026 The Supreme Court barred the government from restricting the gun rights of casual drug users in a case involving the same statute used to convict Hunter Biden. — Josh Feldman, NBC news, 19 June 2026 Such bans have been passed in response to mass shootings, but gun rights advocates argue that millions of Americans own AR-15s for self-defense. — Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 1 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for gun rights

Word History

First Known Use

1964, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of gun rights was in 1964

Rhymes for gun rights

See All Rhymes for gun rights

Browse Nearby Words

gun range
gun rights
gun-rivet
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Cite this Entry

“Gun rights.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gun%20rights. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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