razor wire

noun

: coiled wire fitted with sharp razor edges and used as an obstacle or barrier
also : concertina wire

Examples of razor wire 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.
This can include anything from razor wire that might prevent boarding to water cannons or private security. — Luke McGee, Time, 27 May 2026 The prison, a low sprawl of concrete and razor wire that sits on the outskirts of the small town McLoud, was where Moss had spent virtually all her adult life. — Pamela Colloff, ProPublica, 24 Mar. 2026 Slowing intruders is the easiest measure to implement but there are tradeoffs too — taller fences, electric currents, and razor wire. — The Denver Post Editorial Board, Denver Post, 13 May 2026 The GalSafe pigs, as they’re called, are raised in an unmarked facility in rural Virginia, surrounded by razor wire and surveillance cameras. — Burkhard Bilger, New Yorker, 29 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for razor wire

Word History

First Known Use

1973, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of razor wire was in 1973

Rhymes for razor wire

See All Rhymes for razor wire

Browse Nearby Words

razor-thin
razor wire
razz
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Razor wire.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/razor%20wire. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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