wielding

[ weel-ding ]

adjective

1. exercising power, authority, influence, etc.:

   Russia is a veto-wielding member of the UN Security Council.

   Discussion focused on the accountability of power-wielding institutions.

2. using or actively handling a weapon, instrument, etc.:

   A torch-wielding group of nationalists gathered around the statue for a nighttime protest.

noun

1. the act of exercising power or authority or of using or handling a weapon, instrument, etc.:

   Many programs have fallen to the government’s ceaseless wielding of the budget-cutting knife.

Word History and Origins

Origin of wielding¹

First recorded in 1575–85; wield ( def ) + -ing ²( def ) for the adjective senses; wield ( def ) + -ing ¹( def ) for the noun sense

Example Sentences

Zuraya Hadad instinctively winces as we watch a video of the incident in which her ribs were broken by a masked man wielding a large stick.

From BBC

At that moment, a group of people suddenly appeared, apparently from nowhere, wielding banners and shouting that the BBC were “paedophiles”.

From BBC

Most voters, she went on, aren’t wielding a clipboard and checking off issue boxes.

From Los Angeles Times

How destructive his term will be remains unknowable, but his helter-skelter, vengeance-fueled approach to wielding power may have the ironic effect of impeding his ability to deliver on his more radical promises.

From Salon

By 2028, voters will elect a county executive, who will function similar to a mayor, overseeing department heads, drafting the budget and wielding veto power over the board’s policies.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• performing
• running