shoot 1 of 2

verb

ˈshüt How to pronounce shoot (audio)
Definition of shootnext
1
as in to fire
to cause (a projectile) to be driven forward with force BB guns shoot small round metal pellets

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2
as in to blast
to cause a weapon to release a missile with great force soldiers train extensively to learn to shoot accurately and quickly

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3
as in to gun
to strike with a missile from a gun hunters can shoot deer only during the legally specified open season

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4
as in to fly
to proceed or move quickly some show-off shot past all the other skiers on the slope

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in to photograph
to take a photograph of shooting the lakeside scene while the light lasted

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6
as in to cast
to throw or give off suddenly the old, broken-down toaster began shooting out sparks

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7
as in to shout
to voice one's opinions freely with force you've been wanting to say something since this meeting started, so shoot

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8
as in to sprinkle
to mark with small spots especially unevenly hazel eyes that were brown shot with green

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9
as in to send
to cause to go or be taken from one place to another shot a congratulatory e-mail to his friend as soon as he heard the good news

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shoot

2 of 2

noun

1
as in limb
a branch of a main stem especially of a plant collected the most tender shoots for the vegetable dish he was making

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2
as in ache
a sharp unpleasant sensation usually felt in some specific part of the body there'd be a shoot of pain from that molar whenever I bit down

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of shoot
Verb
The move does not produce a goal, but in little more than four seconds, Haaland has changed direction, accelerated, controlled the ball and reorganised his body to shoot. — Amelie Claydon, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2026 Two 16-year-old boys and an 18-year-old man were wounded Tuesday night in a drive-by shooting on the West Side in the Austin neighborhood, Chicago police said. — Deanese Williams-Harris, Chicago Tribune, 19 Aug. 2026
Noun
Haaland has to stay onside, read a pass, evade defenders and retain enough control to change direction or shoot. — Amelie Claydon, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2026 Rafael Nadal winning, as ever, at Roland Garros Variety caught up with Heinzerling and Diego Ávalos, Content VP at Netflix Spain which guided the Spanish shoot, as the Primetime Emmy race steps up a gear. — John Hopewell, Variety, 19 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for shoot
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shoot
  1. fire
  2. blast
  3. gun
  4. fly
  5. photograph
  6. cast
  7. shout
  8. sprinkle
Verb
  • The Islamic Republic proceeded to fire missiles and drones on neighboring countries hosting US bases.
    — Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 17 Aug. 2026
  • The return also shows DePaul paid a $863,500 buyout last fiscal cycle to former head men’s basketball Tony Stubblefield, who was fired in early 2024 after less than three seasons on the job.
    — Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of fire
Verb
  • Crow-Armstrong blasted another leadoff home run, this time off White Sox opener Bryan Hudson, a one-time Cubs prospect who also gave up a homer to Michael Busch in the first inning.
    — Patrick Mooney, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Warren has blasted the party’s reliance on catering to billionaire donors over working people’s interests in the intraparty battle between progressives and moderates.
    — Rick Pearson, Chicago Tribune, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of blast
Verb
  • However, the vast majority of these folks did not actually vote, and many asked for their erroneous registrations to be purged, contrary to the Republican fantasy that millions of noncitizens are all gunning to illegally vote.
    — New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 26 July 2026
  • Some Democratic candidates gunning to replace Graham Platner have criticized Collins’ recent vote to continue funding the agency without requiring additional guardrails.
    — NBC news, NBC news, 15 July 2026
Definition of gun
Verb
  • So a new grant, under the early-stage NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) program, aims to create small, flying vehicles that could explore those caves.
    — Elizabeth Howell, Space.com, 16 Aug. 2026
  • When not searching for glass floats, enjoy other pastimes like tide pooling, beachcombing, and kite flying (home to two kite festivals, Lincoln City calls itself the Kite Capital of the World).
    — Zoe Baillargeon, Travel + Leisure, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of fly
Verb
  • Garner, who was photographed separately at the store, embraced an athleisure style moment with a pair of forest green leggings with white stripes running down the sides.
    — Lara Walsh, InStyle, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Out in Nature The trio were photographed enjoying the outdoors at Balmoral Castle in 1979.
    — Stephanie Sengwe, PEOPLE, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of photograph
Verb
  • Finally, the Amanda Committee’s Golden Clapper went to casting directirs Mette Holme Nielsen and Jannecke Bervell for their contributions to Norwegian film over more than 30 years.
    — Marta Balaga, Variety, 22 Aug. 2026
  • Panettiere’s death has since cast a spotlight on Hickerson, while extensive public records reviewed by NBC News detail his trail of financial and legal troubles.
    — Rebecca Cohen, NBC news, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of cast
Verb
  • People in surrounding cars gawked, waved and, in one instance, rolled down their windows to shout something that went unheard, as Bonelli explained that the van had internal cameras that were always on but not always being watched.
    — Elizabeth Hernandez, Denver Post, 20 Aug. 2026
  • When reporters shouted questions about the bombshell conversation, the future king at the time simply chuckled, remained silent and carried on walking.
    — Stephanie Giang-Paunon, FOXNews.com, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of shout
Verb
  • Thursday’s off day couldn’t come at a better time, and there are more days off sprinkled throughout the final six weeks of the season.
    — Jen McCaffrey, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2026
  • These are small to large grasslands usually sprinkled with wetlands (glacial potholes) and set amid private farmland, which supplies the grain.
    — Ron Spomer, Outdoor Life, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of sprinkle

Phrases Containing shoot

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shook up
shoot
shoot at
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Cite this Entry

“Shoot.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shoot. Accessed 24 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on shoot

Nglish: Translation of shoot for Spanish Speakers

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