small arm

noun

Synonyms of small armnext
: a handheld firearm (such as a handgun or shoulder arm)
—usually used in plural

Synonyms of small arm

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Examples of small arm in a Sentence

the soldiers keep their small arms securely in their holsters when not on patrol
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.
In some cases, small arms fire and high rate-of-fire machine guns have proved effective against low-flying drones. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 8 May 2026 Throughout their history, they have been proven vulnerable to small arms fire in urban combat. — Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 27 Apr. 2026 Those women and girls made millions of rounds of small arms ammunition, as well as cannonballs and explosives for the war effort. — Christopher Derose, CBS News, 26 June 2026 While some videos include a soundtrack of small arms fire, there is little sign of the mobile fire groups of volunteers armed with anti-aircraft machine guns which Russia is now deploying at scale. — David Hambling, Forbes.com, 19 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for small arm

Word History

First Known Use

1674, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of small arm was in 1674

Rhymes for small arm

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Browse Nearby Words

small and early
small arm
small ball
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Cite this Entry

“Small arm.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/small%20arm. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

small arm

noun
: a firearm fired while held in the hands
—usually used in plural

More from Merriam-Webster on small arm

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about small arm

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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