armed

Carrying weapons or having equipment needed for a particular purpose.

• An armed guard stood at the gate.
• The soldiers were heavily armed.
• Armed with a map, we set off.

How to use it: armed with something (The guards were armed with knives.)

Similar words: equipped

Opposites: unarmed

Common phrases: armed guard, armed forces, armed with something

Carrying or equipped with a gun.

• Armed police arrived within minutes.
• The armed robber pointed a pistol at the cashier.
• Two officers were armed with rifles.

How to use it: armed with a gun (The suspect was armed with a gun.)

Opposites: unarmed

Common phrases: armed police, armed robber, armed officer

Ready to work, fire, or explode because its controls have been set.

• The bomb was armed and ready.
• An armed missile hung beneath the aircraft.
• The device remains armed until the switch is turned off.

Similar words: activated

Opposites: disarmed

Common phrases: armed device, armed missile, fully armed

Having a particular number or kind of arms or similar parts.

• The painting shows a six-armed goddess.
• A four-armed robot lifted the boxes.
• The long-armed creature reached across the pool.

Common phrases: four-armed creature, many-armed goddess, long-armed figure