assault weapon: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Formal / Legal / Political / Media
Quick answer
What does “assault weapon” mean?
A military-style semi-automatic firearm designed for rapid fire and combat use.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A military-style semi-automatic firearm designed for rapid fire and combat use.
A contentious political and legal term, often defined by specific statutory features like a detachable magazine and certain military-style characteristics, used in public discourse and legislation to categorise a subset of firearms.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term is almost exclusively used in American English due to strict UK gun laws. In British English, such firearms are generally illegal and referred to descriptively (e.g., 'prohibited firearm', 'military-style weapon').
Connotations
In American English, the term is politically charged and evokes debates on gun rights, mass shootings, and the Second Amendment. In British English, it primarily connotes extreme rarity, illegality, and association with American news.
Frequency
Very high frequency in US political/media discourse; extremely low frequency in UK discourse.
Grammar
How to Use “assault weapon” in a Sentence
The government debated a ban on + [assault weapons]The proposed bill defines + [an assault weapon] as + [a firearm with...]He was charged with possession of + [an assault weapon].Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “assault weapon” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- [Not applicable as verb]
American English
- [Not applicable as verb]
adverb
British English
- [Not applicable as adverb]
American English
- [Not applicable as adverb]
adjective
British English
- The proposed law targets assault-weapon features.
- It was an assault-weapon ban.
American English
- The state passed an assault-weapon bill.
- Debate focused on assault-weapon ownership.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare, except in firearms manufacturing/trade publications where alternative terms like 'modern sporting rifle' are preferred.
Academic
Used in political science, sociology, and legal papers discussing gun policy, often with a definitional note.
Everyday
Common in US news discussions about mass shootings and gun law debates. Not typical in casual conversation.
Technical
Used in legal statutes and law enforcement with a precise, feature-based definition (e.g., pistol grip, barrel shroud, flash suppressor).
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “assault weapon”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “assault weapon”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “assault weapon”
- Using 'assault weapon' and 'assault rifle' as exact synonyms (the latter technically implies select-fire capability).
- Assuming the term has a single, universally accepted technical definition.
- Capitalising it as a proper noun (it is not, unless part of a law's title like 'Assault Weapons Ban').
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is primarily a legal and political term. The US military uses terms like 'M4 carbine' or 'service rifle'. 'Assault rifle' is a technical term for select-fire military rifles.
In strict technical usage, an 'assault rifle' is a military rifle capable of selective fire (both semi-automatic and fully automatic/burst). 'Assault weapon' is a broader, legislatively-defined term typically covering semi-automatic-only civilian firearms that have certain military-style cosmetic or functional features.
Firearms that would be classified as assault weapons in the US are generally prohibited for civilian ownership in the UK under the Firearms Acts. Ownership is extremely restricted to specific, licensed exceptions (e.g., museums, certain film armourers).
It is controversial because it is a politically created term with no fixed engineering definition. Critics argue it conflates cosmetic features with lethality and is used to ban firearms based on appearance. Supporters argue it usefully identifies a class of firearms designed for offensive use that are disproportionately used in mass shootings.
A military-style semi-automatic firearm designed for rapid fire and combat use.
Assault weapon is usually formal / legal / political / media in register.
Assault weapon: in British English it is pronounced /əˈsɔːlt ˌwiːpən/, and in American English it is pronounced /əˈsɔlt ˌwɛpən/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[not applicable - term is technical/political]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a military ASSAULT; a weapon designed for that purpose is an ASSAULT WEAPON. It's a compound noun where 'assault' modifies the type of 'weapon'.
Conceptual Metaphor
WEAPONS ARE TOOLS FOR CONFLICT; An assault weapon is a TOOL DESIGNED FOR MAXIMUM CONFLICT (assault).
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is a key characteristic commonly used in US laws to define an 'assault weapon'?