gunshot

noun

gun·​shot ˈgən-ˌshät How to pronounce gunshot (audio)
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
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.
Practice packing gunshot wounds. Rachel Wegner, Nashville Tennessean, 15 Oct. 2025 These injuries included burns, gunshot wounds and fractures. Rachel Wolf, FOXNews.com, 14 Oct. 2025 The people who were shot suffered minor gunshot wounds, the chief said. Cameron Knight, Cincinnati Enquirer, 14 Oct. 2025 The smoke, the fires, the gunshots, the chaos, the terror, the grief — all of it appears in gut-wrenching detail. Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 14 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for gunshot

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of gunshot was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Gunshot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gunshot. Accessed 16 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

gunshot

noun
gun·​shot -ˌshät How to pronounce gunshot (audio)
1
: shot fired from a gun
2
: the range of a gun
within gunshot
3
: the firing of a gun

More from Merriam-Webster on gunshot

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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