verb Uncommon

disarm

dihs-AHM

Disarm (verb) means to take weapons away from someone. Example: “The officer disarmed the suspect before making the arrest.”

verb

To take weapons away from someone.

"The officer disarmed the suspect before making the arrest."

To reduce a country's military weapons and forces.

"Both nations agreed to disarm as part of the peace treaty."

To win someone's trust or ease their hostility, often with charm.

"His warm smile disarmed even the toughest critics."

How to use disarm

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishTo take away someone's weapons or defenses — literally in combat, or figuratively by charming them into dropping their guard.

Common pairings

disarm a suspect disarm critics agree to disarm

Word forms

disarmed past tense, disarms plural, disarms singular

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The officer _____ the suspect before making the arrest.

Etymology

From Middle English desarmen, from Anglo-Norman desarmer.

Origin: Middle English

Synonyms

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unarm demilitarize demilitarise

Related words

demilitarise demilitarize unarm

Frequently asked questions

What does “disarm” mean?

The word “disarm” means to take weapons away from someone. In plain terms, to take away someone's weapons or defenses — literally in combat, or figuratively by charming them into dropping their guard.

How do you pronounce “disarm”?

“Disarm” is pronounced dihs-AHM (/dɪsˈɑɹm/ in IPA).

How do you use “disarm” in a sentence?

Here is “disarm” used in a sentence: “The officer disarmed the suspect before making the arrest.”

What part of speech is “disarm”?

“Disarm” is a verb.

Where does the word “disarm” come from?

The word “disarm” comes from Middle English. From Middle English desarmen, from Anglo-Norman desarmer.

Is “disarm” a common word?

“Disarm” is an uncommon word in modern English.

How many meanings does “disarm” have?

“Disarm” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to take weapons away from someone.

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