shoot-'em-up

noun

: a movie, television show, or computer game with much shooting and bloodshed

Examples of shoot-'em-up in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The Ride, riders wield virtual fireballs within a blazingly fun, interactive shooting gallery, while the Lost Kingdom Adventure offers a shoot-'em-up target game with mummies and skeletons that react to your every move. Carlye Wisel, Travel + Leisure, 31 Oct. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'shoot-'em-up.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1947, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of shoot-'em-up was in 1947

Dictionary Entries Near shoot-'em-up

Cite this Entry

“Shoot-'em-up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shoot-%27em-up. Accessed 8 Dec. 2023.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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