# wield

/ˈwiɫd/ (US) · /wˈiːld/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/wield
Updated: 2026-05-07

## Definition

to hold and use a tool or weapon with your hands. It can also mean to have and use power or influence over other people.

For teachers: to handle or employ a tool, weapon, or instrument effectively; to exercise power, authority, or influence. Transitive — requires a direct object.

## Examples

- The knight learned how to wield a heavy sword.
- The CEO continues to wield significant influence over the board's final decisions regarding the merger.
- In a democracy, the electorate is supposed to wield the ultimate power, yet the complexity of modern bureaucracy often obscures how that power is actually applied.

## Usage notes

- Transitive verb — always takes a direct object, whether physical (a hammer) or abstract (authority).

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.