gun rights

plural noun

U.S. politics

: legal rights that allow civilians to own, use, and sell guns

supporters of gun rights

—often used before another noun

gun rights advocates/groups

Note: The term gun rights often suggests support for an interpretation of the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution that favors broad rights to gun ownership.

Examples of gun rights in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

On March 10, 2025, numerous news outlets (New York Times, ABC News, the Guardian, USA Today) reported that the pardon attorney, Elizabeth G. Oyer, at the United States Department of Justice was removed over a dispute regarding the restoration of gun rights to actor Mel Gibson. —Patricia Fersch, Forbes, 18 Mar. 2025

The New York Times reports the pardon attorney was fired after refusing to recommend that Mel Gibson have his gun rights restored. —Domenico Montanaro, NPR, 14 Mar. 2025

Gibson lost his gun rights in connection with a 2011 conviction on misdemeanor domestic violence charges. —Rebecca Beitsch, The Hill, 11 Mar. 2025

Oyer was asked to submit a draft memo recommending that gun rights be restored to those nine — plus one more. —Meredith Kile, People.com, 11 Mar. 2025

While the law technically gives the Justice Department the authority to restore gun rights to specific individuals, the department has not done so in practice, according to the Times. —Martha Ross, The Mercury News, 11 Mar. 2025

The 8th Circuit’s ruling marked a significant victory for gun rights advocates. —Kaelan Deese, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 11 Mar. 2025

On Thursday, Oyer followed directives to submit a draft memo advocating for the restoration of gun rights for these nine people. —Abid Rahman, The Hollywood Reporter, 11 Mar. 2025

The message included a letter from Gibson’s lawyer to senior Justice Department officials asking for Gibson’s gun rights to be restored. —Jack Dunn, Variety, 11 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1964, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for gun rights

• alights
• ascites
• barytes
• campsites
• chondrites
• daylights
• delights
• excites
• flashlights
• floodlights
• footlights
• graphites