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 of sharpshooter

• 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

The sharpshooter duo combined to account for five of UConn’s 10 3-point makes. —Emily Adams, Hartford Courant, 22 Feb. 2026

The Hall of Fame sharpshooter wasn’t the only person praising the league. —D’joumbarey A. Moreau, Miami Herald, 17 Feb. 2026

The veteran sharpshooter received a pass from fellow newcomer Tyus Jones, took one dribble and drilled an in-rhythm triple over the outstretched arms of Phoenix Suns forward Ryan Dunn. —Mike Curtis, Dallas Morning News, 11 Feb. 2026

Golden State traded Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield to the Hawks for Porzingis, a 7-foot-2 sharpshooter and prolific shot-blocker with iffy health. —Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 10 Feb. 2026

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