disarm
verb
dis·arm dis-ˈärm 
diz-,
ˈdis-ˌärm
disarmed; disarming; disarms
transitive verb
1
a
: to deprive of means, reason, or disposition to be hostile
disarmed criticism by admitting her errors
b
: to win over
2
a
: to divest of arms
disarm captured troops
b
: to deprive of a means of attack or defense
disarm a ship
c
: to make harmless
disarm a bomb
intransitive verb
1
: to lay aside arms
2
: to give up or reduce armed forces
disarmament
ˌdis-ˈär-mə-mənt
noun disarmer noun
Synonyms
- demilitarize
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
The government has been unsuccessful at disarming the rebels. The terrorists have refused to disarm. It took more than an hour to disarm the bomb.
Recent Examples on the Web Even if Costa’s paper is right that the agent in the past may not meaningfully affect what has occurred in the present, people would still want to try to disarm mass shooters, let alone more commonplace things like signing bad contracts. 
Caroline Delbert, Popular Mechanics, 20 July 2022 Barnes said Cheng, survived by a wife and two children, heroically charged at the shooter and attempted to disarm him, allowing others to intervene. Deepa Bharath, BostonGlobe.com, 16 May 2022 Barnes said Cheng, survived by a wife and two children, heroically charged at the shooter and attempted to disarm him, allowing others to intervene. Amy Taxin And Deepa Bharath, Chicago Tribune, 16 May 2022 Investigators believe one of the men attempted to disarm her, and Reynolds was shot with her own weapon during a struggle. Danielle Wallace, Fox News, 13 Oct. 2021 With the death of Chernenko on March 10, 1985, Mr. Gorbachev, who had been substituting for the ailing leader, moved to disarm the opposition and take power. Marilyn Berger, BostonGlobe.com, 30 Aug. 2022 The parishioners and pastor were able to disarm Chou and hogtie him before police arrived, authorities said. Ryan W. Miller, USA TODAY, 19 May 2022 Cheng was killed and five other people were wounded before the congregants were able to disarm the gunman and hogtie him with extension cords. Corky Siemaszko, NBC News, 16 May 2022 California has more gun laws than any other, yet state lawmakers are still exploring new ways to disarm peaceable residents and leave them at the mercy of criminals. Cody J. Wisniewski, National Review, 27 Apr. 2022 See More
Caroline Delbert, Popular Mechanics, 20 July 2022 Barnes said Cheng, survived by a wife and two children, heroically charged at the shooter and attempted to disarm him, allowing others to intervene. Deepa Bharath, BostonGlobe.com, 16 May 2022 Barnes said Cheng, survived by a wife and two children, heroically charged at the shooter and attempted to disarm him, allowing others to intervene. Amy Taxin And Deepa Bharath, Chicago Tribune, 16 May 2022 Investigators believe one of the men attempted to disarm her, and Reynolds was shot with her own weapon during a struggle. Danielle Wallace, Fox News, 13 Oct. 2021 With the death of Chernenko on March 10, 1985, Mr. Gorbachev, who had been substituting for the ailing leader, moved to disarm the opposition and take power. Marilyn Berger, BostonGlobe.com, 30 Aug. 2022 The parishioners and pastor were able to disarm Chou and hogtie him before police arrived, authorities said. Ryan W. Miller, USA TODAY, 19 May 2022 Cheng was killed and five other people were wounded before the congregants were able to disarm the gunman and hogtie him with extension cords. Corky Siemaszko, NBC News, 16 May 2022 California has more gun laws than any other, yet state lawmakers are still exploring new ways to disarm peaceable residents and leave them at the mercy of criminals. Cody J. Wisniewski, National Review, 27 Apr. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Middle English desarmen, literally, to divest of arms, from Anglo-French desarmer, from des- dis- + armer to arm
First Known Use
15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a
Kids Definition
disarm
verb
dis·arm dis-ˈärm
disarmed; disarming
1
: to take weapons from
Disarm the prisoner.
2
: to reduce the size and strength of the armed forces of a country
3
: to make harmless
He disarmed the bomb.
4
: to end dislike or mistrust : win over
a disarming smile
disarmament
noun
as in demilitarization
the reduction or elimination of a country's armed forces or weapons the ambassador spoke at length about the possible unilateral disarmament of his country Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- demilitarization
- demobilization
- denuclearization
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- armament
- militarization
- equipment
- mobilization
- mechanization
- reequipment