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1
: a battle fought with handguns or rifles
2
: something resembling a shoot-out
broadly : showdown
3
: a shooting competition in overtime that is used to determine the winner of a game (as in soccer or hockey) tied at the end of regular play

Examples of shoot-out in a Sentence

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.
Shakur was a legendary revolutionary with the Black Liberation Army who in May 1977 was convicted of killing a New Jersey state trooper in a shoot-out that left her wounded and another comrade dead. Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 24 Nov. 2025 Chris Paul from the LA Clippers showed up to host a free throw shoot-out between Kacie and Patrick to see who would keep the ring, which Kacie won. Sydney Bucksbaum, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Oct. 2025 Cast as Bud — a scene-stealing feline with a lion’s mane and a tendency to bite — the cat plays a key role opposite Austin Butler and Zoë Kravitz, enduring shoot-outs, car chases and even a broken paw (don’t worry, the villain gets his comeuppance). Steve Garbarino, HollywoodReporter, 24 Oct. 2025 Fez memorably ended Season 2 (spoiler alert) with a dramatic shoot-out with the police, during which he was wounded and then arrested. Radhika Seth, Vogue, 17 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for shoot-out

Word History

First Known Use

1948, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of shoot-out was in 1948

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Cite this Entry

“Shoot-out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shoot-out. Accessed 27 Nov. 2025.

Kids Definition

shoot-out

noun
ˈshüt-ˌau̇t
: a battle fought with handguns or rifles
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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