MEANING
To hold and use a weapon or tool, or to exercise power, authority, or influence.
Use it for
Describe forceful use of a weapon or power.Show how a character uses an object, authority, or influence.
Words that belong together
- wield a weapon
- wield authority
- wield influence
On the page
She wielded the lantern like a weapon in the narrow passage.
Nearby words
Opposite meanings
Word forms
- Base
- wield
- Past tense
- wielded
- Past participle
- wielded
- Present participle
- wielding
Full tense & aspect guide
- Present
- wield
- Present continuous
- am/is/are wielding
- Present perfect
- have/has wielded
- Present perfect continuous
- have/has been wielding
- Past
- wielded
- Past continuous
- was/were wielding
- Past perfect
- had wielded
- Past perfect continuous
- had been wielding
- Future
- will wield
- Future continuous
- will be wielding
- Future perfect
- will have wielded
- Future perfect continuous
- will have been wielding
Choose the auxiliary that agrees with your subject. These are constructions of one word, not separate entries.
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Usage notes
Often takes a concrete weapon or an abstract power as its object; it implies active control or force.
Practice this word in a sentenceYour margin notes
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