ghost gun

noun

plural ghost guns
: a gun that lacks a serial number by which it can be identified and that is typically assembled by the user (as from purchased or homemade components)
Ghost guns, cobbled together with various parts often purchased separately, are popular among hobbyists and firearms enthusiasts.St. Louis Post-Dispatch
The issue centers on so-called ghost guns, which consist of untraceable parts that can be ordered online and then, with a little finishing work, assembled into a working firearm.Los Angeles Times
Even so, they haven't been outlawed; buying or selling a ghost gun is illegal, but making one remains kosher under US gun control laws.Andy Greenberg

Examples of ghost gun in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
This year, 192 ghost guns have been seized, with just days left in the year. Vincent Hill, Baltimore Sun, 28 Dec. 2024 In recent weeks during the lame duck session, the Michigan Senate has passed bills expanding birth control access, banning ghost guns and bump stocks for firearms, updating training standards and practices for police agencies in Michigan and more. Arpan Lobo, Detroit Free Press, 20 Dec. 2024 New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch announced that shell casings from the scene matched a ghost gun found on Mangione, and his fingerprints were linked to a water bottle and a Kind bar wrapper near the shooting site. Amanda Castro, Newsweek, 12 Dec. 2024 Mangione also faces charges in Pennsylvania, where police said he was captured with a ghost gun, silencer and writings expressing ill will toward corporate America on his person. Zach Schonfeld, The Hill, 19 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for ghost gun 

Word History

First Known Use

2012, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ghost gun was in 2012

Dictionary Entries Near ghost gun

Cite this Entry

“Ghost gun.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ghost%20gun. Accessed 7 Jan. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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