gunshot

noun

gun·​shot ˈgən-ˌshät 

1

: shot or a projectile fired from a gun

2

: the range of a gun

3

: the firing of a gun

Examples of gunshot in a Sentence

He was killed by a gunshot to the head.

Recent Examples on the Web

The 38-year-old victim was pronounced dead at the scene from a single gunshot wound, police say. —Dejanay Booth-Singleton, CBS News, 18 Mar. 2026

Detectives spoke with multiple witnesses who described hearing a barrage of automatic gunfire, followed by five or six gunshots, according to court documents. —Kansas City Star, 17 Mar. 2026

Ed Igoe, a spokesperson for the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office, said a caller reported hearing two gunshots and seeing one man who had been shot. —Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 17 Mar. 2026

An autopsy determine Heller died from a gunshot wound, the affidavit said. —Angie Dimichele, Sun Sentinel, 16 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Rhymes for gunshot

• allot
• barat
• begot
• besought
• bethought
• bloodshot
• boycott
• buckshot
• crackpot
• croat
• culottes
• dashpot

Kids Definition

gunshot

noun

gun·​shot -ˌshät 

1

: shot fired from a gun

2

: the range of a gun

within gunshot

3

: the firing of a gun