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
The image, set against the backdrop of the American flag, depicts a bearded man with his back turned as the gunman looms above him.
—
Kate Armanini, Chicago Tribune, 3 Feb. 2026
Two people were hurt, one of them critically, when two Dallas police officers exchanged gunfire Monday night with a gunman, who was inside the bathroom of a Red Bird-area apartment, authorities said during a late-night news conference.
—Elissa Jorgensen, Dallas Morning News, 3 Feb. 2026
Nigeria is in the grip of a complex security crisis, with an insurgency by Islamic militants in the northeast alongside a surge in kidnappings for ransom by gunmen across the northwest and north-central regions in the recent months.
—Dyepkazah Shibayan, Los Angeles Times, 1 Feb. 2026
Surveillance video showed a masked gunman shooting him from behind.
—Michael R. Sisak, Arkansas Online, 31 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for gunman
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.
Kate Armanini, Chicago Tribune, 3 Feb. 2026
Two people were hurt, one of them critically, when two Dallas police officers exchanged gunfire Monday night with a gunman, who was inside the bathroom of a Red Bird-area apartment, authorities said during a late-night news conference.
—Elissa Jorgensen, Dallas Morning News, 3 Feb. 2026
Nigeria is in the grip of a complex security crisis, with an insurgency by Islamic militants in the northeast alongside a surge in kidnappings for ransom by gunmen across the northwest and north-central regions in the recent months.
—Dyepkazah Shibayan, Los Angeles Times, 1 Feb. 2026
Surveillance video showed a masked gunman shooting him from behind.
—Michael R. Sisak, Arkansas Online, 31 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for gunman
Cite this Entry
“Gunman.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gunman. Accessed 11 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
gunman
noun
gun·man
-mən 
: a person armed with a gun
especially
: an armed criminal
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
