armed
1 Americanadjective
adjective
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bearing firearms; having weapons.
a heavily armed patrol.
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maintained by arms.
armed peace.
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involving the use of weapons.
armed conflict.
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equipped.
The students came armed with their pocket calculators.
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(especially of an animal) covered protectively, as by a shell.
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fortified; made secure.
Armed by an inveterate optimism, he withstood despair.
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(of an artillery shell, bomb, missile, etc.) having the fuze made operative.
adjective
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equipped with or supported by arms, armour, etc
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prepared for conflict or any difficulty
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(of an explosive device) prepared for use; having a fuse or detonator installed
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(of plants) having the protection of thorns, spines, etc
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of armed1
First recorded in 1500–10; arm 1 ( def. ) + -ed 3 ( def. )
Origin of armed2
First recorded in 1250–1300; arm 2, + -ed 2 ( def. )
Explanation
If you're armed, you are carrying some kind of weapon. Armed soldiers are most commonly supplied with guns. In the United States, police officers are almost always armed, while British police usually don't carry guns. When a crime involves the use of a weapon, it might be described as an armed robbery, and even an animal is sometimes said to be armed: "The cat was armed with sharp teeth and claws against the puppy's enthusiasm." The Latin root is arma, "weapons," or "tools of war."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Speaking earlier on Wednesday, new Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said he wanted to ensure "every penny is spent wisely" and investment in the armed forces must come with "modernisation".
From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026
This reconciliation effort fills that hole in our budget, allowing our armed forces to continue operating at the highest levels and deter our adversaries in the Middle East and around the globe.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026
The millionaire lawyer will take office on August 7 and has pledged to crack down on armed groups, partly by forging military partnerships with the United States and Israel.
From Barron's ● Jul. 21, 2026
That was apparently enough to resolve a life-or-death operational question for armed federal officers across the country.
From Salon ● Jul. 21, 2026
When word of the German action reached the Russian capital, Czar Nicholas, after much hesitation, ordered the full mobilization of Russia’s armed forces.
From "The War to End All Wars: World War I" by Russell Freedman
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.