Those guns vs Weapons

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

Those guns

Informal Top 5,000 (fairly common)

Weapons

Top 2,000 (common)

Most formal: Weapons Most common: Weapons

	Those guns	Weapons
Pronunciation	🇬🇧 //ðəʊz ɡʌnz// 🇺🇸 //ðoʊz ɡʌnz//	🇬🇧 //ˈwɛpənz// 🇺🇸 //ˈwɛpənz//
Meaning	These firearms or weapons.	Tools used for fighting or killing.
Example	Did you see those guns at the shooting event?	The soldier was trained to use various types of weapons.
Register	Informal	Neutral
How common	Top 5,000 (fairly common)	Top 2,000 (common)
Collocations	show off those guns, handle those guns, store those guns, fire those guns, clean those guns	mass destruction weapons, nuclear weapons, cold weapons, sophisticated weapons, weapons of war
Common mistakes	Confused with the plural of 'gun', Used in serious contexts instead of casual ones, Misunderstood as referring to anything non-weapon-related	Confused with 'arms' which is more formal., Using 'weapons' when discussing sports equipment (incorrect usage)., Confusing singular and plural forms, e.g., 'weapon' vs. 'weapons'.
Usage notes	Usually used in a conversational context, often refers to firearms informally. Avoid in formal writing.	The term 'weapons' is typically used in discussions of military, law enforcement, and self-defense contexts. Avoid using it in casual conversation unless relevant to the topic.

See it in real clips

Peaky Blinders › S1 E1

You sell those guns to anyone who has use to them, you will hang.

Those guns

Keep the sand out of your weapons.

Toss the weapon.

... weapons ...

Keep the sand out of your weapons.

Toss the weapon.

Weapons

Frequently asked questions: Those guns vs Weapons

What's the difference between Those guns and Weapons?

Those guns: These firearms or weapons. Weapons: Tools used for fighting or killing.

Which is more formal: Those guns and Weapons?

Weapons is the most formal of these.

Which is more common: Those guns and Weapons?

Weapons is the most common in everyday English.

Can you show an example of each?

Those guns: Did you see those guns at the shooting event? Weapons: The soldier was trained to use various types of weapons.

Can I use Those guns and Weapons interchangeably?

Not always. Those guns and Weapons are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.