arms dealer
Trafficker in firearms
An arms dealer sells weapons, typically on a large scale—supplying military equipment to governments, rebel groups, or private buyers.
The term often carries connotations of shadowy commerce, skirting international law or fueling conflicts: The arms dealer brokered sales to both sides of the civil war.
Legal defense contractors prefer other terms for themselves.
Weapon projectiles and charges
- riflesLong-barreled shoulder firearms
- pistolsSmall one-handed firearms
- shotgunsWide-bore pellet firearms
- machine gunsAutomatic rapid-fire firearms
revolvers · assault rifles · sniper rifles · submachine guns · grenade launchers · artillery · missiles · tanks
Illegal covert transport
- black marketIllicit trading system
- traffickingIllegal transport for profit
- contrabandProhibited trade goods
- sanctionsPunitive international restrictions
embargo · gunrunning · cartel · syndicate · money laundering · shell companies · front company · straw purchaser
Armed struggle between groups
- insurgencyArmed uprising against authority
- rebellionDefiance of established power
- combatArmed hostile engagement
- hostilitiesActive armed fighting
warzone · guerrilla · civil war · proxy war · escalation · military coup · regime · militia
Transaction-facilitating service
- exportForeign-bound sale
- importObtain from overseas
- supply chainProduct delivery infrastructure
- logisticsCoordination of complex activities
shipment · distribution · deal-making · negotiation · contracts · procurement · licensing · intermediary
Company producing military goods
- government contractsState purchasing agreements
- military-industrial complexDefense and arms industry alliance
- NATOWestern defense organization
- foreign policyInternational relations strategy
superpower · allies · strategic · sovereignty · hegemony · Cold War · proxy · sphere of influence
ammunition
Weapon projectiles and charges
- riflesLong-barreled shoulder firearms
- pistolsSmall one-handed firearms
- shotgunsWide-bore pellet firearms
machine guns · revolvers · assault rifles · sniper rifles · submachine guns · grenade launchers · artillery · missiles · tanks · mines
smuggling
Illegal covert transport
- black marketIllicit trading system
- traffickingIllegal transport for profit
- contrabandProhibited trade goods
sanctions · embargo · gunrunning · cartel · syndicate · money laundering · shell companies · front company · straw purchaser · clandestine
war
Armed struggle between groups
- insurgencyArmed uprising against authority
- rebellionDefiance of established power
- combatArmed hostile engagement
hostilities · warzone · guerrilla · civil war · proxy war · escalation · military coup · regime · militia · paramilitary
brokerage
Transaction-facilitating service
- exportForeign-bound sale
- importObtain from overseas
- supply chainProduct delivery infrastructure
logistics · shipment · distribution · deal-making · negotiation · contracts · procurement · licensing · intermediary · middleman
defense contractor
Company producing military goods
- government contractsState purchasing agreements
- military-industrial complexDefense and arms industry alliance
- NATOWestern defense organization
foreign policy · superpower · allies · strategic · sovereignty · hegemony · Cold War · proxy · sphere of influence · diplomacy
- action filmschase scene, car chase, explosion, stunt, shootout
- dealers
- arms tradegun runner, black market guns, weapons embargo, military exports, defense industries
- gun tradegun shop, gun store, gun show, seller, buyer
- weapons expertsgunsmith, armorer, ballistics expert, weapons inspector, weaponsmith
- commercetrade, banking, merchant, imports, sales
arms dealerpeacemaker
Conflict resolution agent
peace negotiator · peace broker · peacekeeper · peace activist · pacifist
arms dealerrelief worker
Person assisting disaster victims
Red Cross worker · medical missionary · ambulance driver · nurse · healer
arm, arms, armed, dealer, disarm, unarmed, arming, firearms, armament