ammunition
noun · verb
Simple meaning
Information that can be used to attack or defend a claim or argument or viewpoint.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
amyuhnishuhnSay the bold part a little louder.
IPA pronunciation (US)
æmjəˈnɪʃən
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
noun
Information that can be used to attack or defend a claim or argument or viewpoint
“His admission provided ammunition for his critics.”
figurative
Arguments and information that can be used against the other party in a conflict.
Articles used in charging firearms and ordnance of all kinds; as powder, balls, shot, shells, percussion caps, rockets, etc.
verb
To supply with ammunition.
Word at a Glance
- Difficulty
- B2 · Upper Intermediate (estimated)
- Frequency
- Moderately Common
- Formality
- Technical
Word Aura™
How this word commonly comes across.
Aura for this meaning
This meaning: Information that can be used to attack or defend a claim or argument or viewpoint
Used this way, ammunition is a common word with a faintly unfavourable edge. It usually sounds natural in a wide range of settings.
“His admission provided ammunition for his critics.”
- Emotional tone
- Slightly negative
- Formality
- Neutral
- Intensity
- Moderate
- How common
- Common
- Connotation
- Critical or judgemental
- Usage feel
- Neutral and straightforward
Usage note
It most often appears in the pattern “ammunition for …”, which is worth copying when you use it.
Natural pattern: ammunition for …
Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.
More ways to use ammunition
- “His admission provided ammunition for his critics.”noun
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Common Patterns and Combinations
How this word naturally appears with others.
Word Family
Related forms, grouped by how they connect.
Compound terms
Established multiword terms.
A chest to hold ammunition.
Ammunition (usually of small caliber) loaded in flexible linked strips for use in a machine gun.
Ammunition (usually of small caliber) loaded in flexible linked strips for use in a machine gun.
A charge of ammunition for a single shot.
More about this wordSynonyms, forms, origin
Synonyms
Sense: to supply with ammunition
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Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.