active shooter

noun

plural active shooters

: a person who is illegally using a firearm to kill or try to kill people especially in a public place : a person who is shooting at people

Stunned shoppers and mall employees initially mistook the sound of glass breaking for gunshots, leading to false rumors of an active shooter.

—Caitlin Antonios

active shooter drills

Examples of active shooter in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The filing further alleged Kerri Rawson warned police that people were coming to harm the family before later calling 911 and reporting that shots had been fired, several active shooters were at an apartment complex and three people were dead. — Sarah Rumpf-Whitten , Brittany Miller, FOXNews.com, 29 July 2026

For two to three minutes, the ballroom felt like the scene of an active shooter drill, or worse. — Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 24 July 2026

Written by Keatyn Lee, The Drill centers around what happens when an active shooter lockdown traps a high school drill team inside their gym. — Matt Grobar, Deadline, 17 July 2026

The security laminate not only protects the entrances against an active shooter, but can help in natural disasters such as tornados as well, Caparelli-Ruff said. — Michelle Mullins, Chicago Tribune, 5 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1999, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for active shooter

• microcomputer
• minicomputer
• supercomputer
• commuter
• computer
• polluter
• recruiter
• neuter
• pewter
• router
• scooter
• suitor