shotgun marriage
noun
1
: a marriage forced or required because of pregnancy
called also shotgun wedding
2
: a forced union
… a spate of brokerage mergers … hastily arranged shotgun marriages …—
John Brooks
John BrooksExamples of shotgun marriage in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Ultimately, these were political shotgun marriages — the very thing that made the attachments so powerful at a particular moment in time was ultimately their undoing: In each case, the leader learned that there was no real love there.
—Jim Waterson, semafor.com, 6 June 2025
In the past the authorities have avoided forcing losses on account-holders after banks have failed, by arranging shotgun marriages with healthy institutions.
—The Economist, 10 Oct. 2019
The Warriors have forced shotgun marriages like Paul and Harden, and right now, those two players have helped push Golden State the furthest in a playoff series since Durant joined the team.
—Rohan Nadkarni, SI.com, 24 May 2018
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Jim Waterson, semafor.com, 6 June 2025
In the past the authorities have avoided forcing losses on account-holders after banks have failed, by arranging shotgun marriages with healthy institutions.
—The Economist, 10 Oct. 2019
The Warriors have forced shotgun marriages like Paul and Harden, and right now, those two players have helped push Golden State the furthest in a playoff series since Durant joined the team.
—Rohan Nadkarni, SI.com, 24 May 2018
Cite this Entry
“Shotgun marriage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shotgun%20marriage. Accessed 15 Nov. 2025.
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