as in guns
a portable weapon from which a shot is discharged by gunpowder
soldiers grabbing their arms and helmets and heading into battle
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
1
as in departments
a large unit of a governmental, business, or educational organization
a company that needs to beef up its marketing arm if it wants to compete in today's business world
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in bays
a part of a body of water that extends beyond the general shoreline
this arm of the Atlantic is surprisingly peaceful, as the stronger ocean currents do not reach this far
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in capes
an area of land that juts out into a body of water
Maine has so many long, narrow arms that jut out into the ocean that early coastal settlers found it much easier to travel by sea
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in powers
the right or means to command or control others
few criminals manage to permanently escape the long arm of the law
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of arms
Ca Earthquake Bot, Sacbee.com, 28 Apr. 2026
Most robotic productivity so far has relied on robotic arms and similarly specialized robots that perform the same predictable tasks on assembly lines and in warehouses.
—ArsTechnica, 28 Apr. 2026
The curved and recessed arms are comfortable and add softness to the design, and the seat and back are padded with thick foam that’s supportive and won’t crush with use.
—Shea Simmons, Southern Living, 28 Apr. 2026
Vesia and Tanner Scott, both high-leverage arms, each threw hitless innings, buying time for their offense to mount a comeback.
—Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 28 Apr. 2026
In one image, a pair of young men, one shirtless, wrestle on a mat laid out in the Parque México, their arms looped around each other in what appears to be a tender embrace.
—Chris Wiley, New Yorker, 28 Apr. 2026
At 6 feet 1 with 32 3/4-inch arms, Lee fits the Panthers’ prototype at corner.
—Joseph Person, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2026
Jadon then raced in and jumped into Zach's arms.
—Charna Flam, PEOPLE, 27 Apr. 2026
As Abdul Saleh, 28, bled to death in his brother’s arms on the sidewalk outside of Sal’s Deli & Grocery on Saturday, his thoughts were of his children.
—Nicholas Williams, New York Daily News, 27 Apr. 2026
Noun
Be sure to cover your head and neck with your arms, and crawl under a sturdy table if possible.
—Ca Earthquake Bot, Sacbee.com, 28 Apr. 2026
Most robotic productivity so far has relied on robotic arms and similarly specialized robots that perform the same predictable tasks on assembly lines and in warehouses.
—ArsTechnica, 28 Apr. 2026
The curved and recessed arms are comfortable and add softness to the design, and the seat and back are padded with thick foam that’s supportive and won’t crush with use.
—Shea Simmons, Southern Living, 28 Apr. 2026
Vesia and Tanner Scott, both high-leverage arms, each threw hitless innings, buying time for their offense to mount a comeback.
—Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 28 Apr. 2026
In one image, a pair of young men, one shirtless, wrestle on a mat laid out in the Parque México, their arms looped around each other in what appears to be a tender embrace.
—Chris Wiley, New Yorker, 28 Apr. 2026
At 6 feet 1 with 32 3/4-inch arms, Lee fits the Panthers’ prototype at corner.
—Joseph Person, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2026
Jadon then raced in and jumped into Zach's arms.
—Charna Flam, PEOPLE, 27 Apr. 2026
As Abdul Saleh, 28, bled to death in his brother’s arms on the sidewalk outside of Sal’s Deli & Grocery on Saturday, his thoughts were of his children.
—Nicholas Williams, New York Daily News, 27 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for arms
Verb
-
Excited yet anxious over the prospect of reconnecting with the man that got away, the pair fortifies themselves with cocktails and bubbly during a boozy dinner.—
Brent Lang,
Variety,
20 Apr. 2026
-
Justin Faulk immediately fortifies Detroit’s second defense pair next to Ben Chiarot.—
The Athletic NHL Staff,
New York Times,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
After the bell, Apple reports as CEO Tim Cook prepares to step down .—
Alexa LoMonaco,
CNBC,
24 Apr. 2026
-
The incident comes as Washington prepares for the high-profile visit, with streets around the National Mall adorned with Union Jack.—
Claire Carter,
The Washington Examiner,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Ali Riza Dogan, the owner of Manhattan restaurant Ali Baba Mediterranean Cuisine, hands out free meals weekly and has invited homeless people to sleep in his restaurant's entryway on cold nights.—
Chiara Kim,
PEOPLE,
17 Apr. 2026
-
Roxana Jullapat hands out chocolate muffins to her team.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
When a team allots minutes to so many young players simultaneously, lapses in concentration and on-court mistakes are bound to happen.—
Josh Robbins,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Cakenhagen, a café that doles out beautiful pastries; and the historic Grøften restaurant, which has retained its good vibes since 1874.—
Arati Menon,
Condé Nast Traveler,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Antica Locanda doles out comforting Sicilian dishes, from platters of fresh fish to generous bowls of seafood pasta.—
Michele Becker,
Travel + Leisure,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
By default, Meta assigns Teen Accounts to all users under 16.—
Jibin Joseph,
PC Magazine,
23 Apr. 2026
-
The Constitution assigns the power to declare war to Congress although lawmakers have not done so for decades through wars in Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan and Iraq.—
Christopher Cann,
USA Today,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Rollins is eyeing the Fertilizer Production Expansion Program, designed under former President Joe Biden, which allocates funds to small- and mid-sized fertilizer production facilities through five-year grants to increase competition and bring down agricultural costs.—
Claire Carter,
The Washington Examiner,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Then, using a scoring system the county selects projects and allocates funds.—
Kendrick Calfee,
Kansas City Star,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Food restrictions for Cubans date back to 1962, when ration books were first established, a system that distributes monthly staples.—
Sarah Moreno
Updated April 29,
Miami Herald,
29 Apr. 2026
-
The top half of the purifier features a glossy white, bladeless amplifier loop fan that distributes clean, hydrated air throughout the room.—
John R. Delaney,
PC Magazine,
28 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Arms.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/arms. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
