gunman

noun

gun·​man ˈgən-mən 

1

: a man armed with a gun

especially : a professional killer

2

: a man noted for speed or skill in handling a gun

Examples of gunman in a Sentence

They were shot by an unknown gunman.

Recent Examples on the Web

When a gunman approached a police cruiser outside the Sons of Jacob Synagogue in Belleville, Ontario, during Yom Kippur, approximately two dozen people were praying inside. — Ariella Noveck, FOXNews.com, 29 Sep. 2026

Nearly nine years since a gunman opened fire in a Parkland high school, killing 17, the mass shooting’s shadow still hangs over Florida politics. — Romy Ellenbogen Herald, Miami Herald, 29 Sep. 2026

The great replacement theory was the motivation for the gunman who opened fire inside a Pittsburgh synagogue in 2018, killing 11 people. — Clara Molot, Vanity Fair, 29 Sep. 2026

Haiti has not had a president since a squad of gunmen killed Moïse and wounded his wife in an overnight raid at their home. — ABC News, 28 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1590, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

gunman

noun

gun·​man -mən 

: a person armed with a gun

especially : an armed criminal