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
St. Louis Post-DispatchThe 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
Los Angeles TimesEven 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
Andy GreenbergExamples of ghost gun in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Yet the Supreme Court heard oral argument last week about whether ghost guns count as firearms.
—Noah Feldman, The Mercury News, 15 Oct. 2024
Additionally, regulation on the state level also slowed the further spread of ghost guns.
—Katharina Buchholz, Forbes, 8 Oct. 2024
The Justice Department told the court that local law enforcement agencies seized more than 19,000 ghost guns at crime scenes in 2021, a more than tenfold increase in four years.
—David G. Savage, Los Angeles Times, 3 Oct. 2024
However, the tone of the oral arguments this week suggested that the justices may defer to the ATF’s interpretation of the statute in this instance, particularly given the public safety concerns raised by the rise of ghost guns.
—Kaelan Deese, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 8 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for ghost gun 
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Noah Feldman, The Mercury News, 15 Oct. 2024
Additionally, regulation on the state level also slowed the further spread of ghost guns.
—Katharina Buchholz, Forbes, 8 Oct. 2024
The Justice Department told the court that local law enforcement agencies seized more than 19,000 ghost guns at crime scenes in 2021, a more than tenfold increase in four years.
—David G. Savage, Los Angeles Times, 3 Oct. 2024
However, the tone of the oral arguments this week suggested that the justices may defer to the ATF’s interpretation of the statute in this instance, particularly given the public safety concerns raised by the rise of ghost guns.
—Kaelan Deese, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 8 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for ghost gun
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Cite this Entry
“Ghost gun.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ghost%20gun. Accessed 19 Nov. 2024.
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