gunfight

noun

gun·​fight ˈgən-ˌfīt How to pronounce gunfight (audio)
: a hostile encounter in which antagonists with guns shoot at each other
gunfighter noun

Examples of gunfight in a Sentence

There was a gunfight between the rival gangs.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
As San Jose police and other law enforcement agencies converged on the site, authorities say Husien rushed a police sergeant who had just arrived and opened fire, touching off a close-range gunfight in which the sergeant was grazed in the head by a bullet. Robert Salonga, Mercury News, 28 Jan. 2026 In 2008, a gunfight broke out as the crowd left the show. Adam Harrington, CBS News, 28 Jan. 2026 The close-range gunfight happened Wednesday with a carjacking suspect who was killed when shot and struck by a police SUV in downtown San Jose, authorities said. Ishani Desai, Sacbee.com, 23 Jan. 2026 The gunfight marked the end of the suspect’s violent four-day crime spree across three counties that included armed robberies, carjackings, car chases and police shootouts, said San José Police Chief Paul Joseph at a news conference Thursday afternoon, a day after the incident. Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 23 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for gunfight

Word History

First Known Use

1659, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of gunfight was in 1659

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Cite this Entry

“Gunfight.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gunfight. Accessed 8 Feb. 2026.

Kids Definition

gunfight

noun
gun·​fight -ˌfīt How to pronounce gunfight (audio)
: a fight fought with guns
gunfighter noun

More from Merriam-Webster on gunfight

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