gunfight

noun

gun·​fight ˈgən-ˌfīt 

: a hostile encounter in which antagonists with guns shoot at each other

gunfighter

ˈgən-ˌfī-tər 

noun

Examples of gunfight in a Sentence

There was a gunfight between the rival gangs.

Recent Examples on the Web

In all, six people were killed — Sergio Harris, 38; Joshua Hoye-Lucchessi, 32; and Davazia Turner, 29, the three men alleged to have participated in the gunfight, and the three women who were caught in the crossfire. — Reeti Malhotra, Sacbee.com, 21 July 2026

Monday will mark eight weeks since authorities say two teens, apparently radicalized by hate online, stormed the Islamic Center of San Diego and killed three congregants, including a security guard who engaged them in a gunfight. — Teri Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 July 2026

So, not a whole lot of epic gunfights for this Western, a rarity in the genre, but there’s a reason the property has stood the test of time. — Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 11 July 2026

With a solo practice in Little Tokyo and bus-stop ads across the city, Gibson refers to himself as the knife his clients bring to a gunfight. — Carolyn Kellogg, The Atlantic, 8 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1659, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for gunfight

• affright
• airtight
• albite
• alight
• alright
• aplite
• aright
• bainite
• birthright
• bobwhite
• bornite
• bullfight

Kids Definition

gunfight

noun

gun·​fight -ˌfīt 

: a fight fought with guns

gunfighter noun