sharpshooter

noun

sharp·​shoot·​er ˈshärp-ˌshü-tər 

plural sharpshooters

1

: a person who is highly skilled in shooting a weapon (such as a rifle) at a mark or target

a police sharpshooter

Determined to prevent any attempt on Lincoln's life, General Winfield Scott had placed sharpshooters on the roofs of buildings along the avenue …

—David Herbert Donald

2

sports : a consistently accurate shooter (as in basketball)

A 6' 9" sharpshooter who several NBA scouts predict will be a first-round pick …

—Tim Crothers

3

: any of various large leafhoppers that have powerful hind legs with spines on the tibia

The sharpshooter uses a needlelike mouthpart to suck fluids from trees and plants. As it goes from one to the next, it spreads diseases that can wipe out orange groves and other crops.

—Carl Zimmer

In Temecula, disease-carrying sharpshooters have turned some vineyards into wastelands.

—Steve Schmidt

Synonyms

• shooter
• marksman
• gun

Examples of sharpshooter in a Sentence

the police stationed sharpshooters on rooftops all along the route of the presidential motorcade

Recent Examples on the Web

Helicopter sharpshooters removed over 1,200 sheep in just one week of aerial hunting. —Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 5 July 2025

Flagg’s success could change the club’s trajectory similarly to the way Golden State transformed under sharpshooter Steph Curry, who captured four NBA titles and the attention of Gen Z basketball fans worldwide. —Eric Jackson, Sportico.com, 27 June 2025

Detroit Pistons point guard Dennis Schröder picked up his dribble and looked to toss a pass at sharpshooter Malik Beasley, who is far beyond the 3-point arc. —Fred Katz, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2025

That’s how most others in the gym felt, too — even if the luminary sharpshooter never put on a uniform. —Sam Cohn, Baltimore Sun, 29 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1794, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

sharpshooter

noun

sharp·​shoot·​er ˈshärp-ˌshüt-ər 

: one skilled in shooting : a good marksman

sharpshooting

-ˌshüt-iŋ

noun