shot·gun
ˈshät-ˌgən 
1
: a usually smoothbore shoulder weapon capable of firing shot at short ranges
2
: an offensive football formation in which the quarterback plays a few yards behind the line of scrimmage and the other backs are scattered as flankers or slotbacks
shotgun
transitive verb
1
: of, relating to, or using a shotgun
2
: involving coercion
3
: covering a wide field with hit-or-miss effectiveness
Examples of shotgun in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Joe Leydon, Variety, 7 Nov. 2025
People on the block heard a shotgun’s blast, then a car crash.
—Equal Justice Initiative, USA Today, 6 Nov. 2025
Jonas Shaffer, baltimoresun.com, 3 June 2021
Lunch and registration begin at 11 a.m., with a 12:30 p.m. shotgun start.
—Post-Tribune, 7 July 2017
See All Example Sentences for shotgun
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Noun
Of course, Sarah and her mom continue to believe that God is on their side, even after the family home is attacked by oil company thugs and a reliable ally winds up on the wrong end of a shotgun.
—Joe Leydon, Variety, 7 Nov. 2025
People on the block heard a shotgun’s blast, then a car crash.
—Equal Justice Initiative, USA Today, 6 Nov. 2025
Adjective
In 2019, in non-shotgun formations, Jackson had 19 drop-backs and combined with Ravens running backs for 27 carries, according to Sports Info Solutions.
—Jonas Shaffer, baltimoresun.com, 3 June 2021
Lunch and registration begin at 11 a.m., with a 12:30 p.m. shotgun start.
—Post-Tribune, 7 July 2017
See All Example Sentences for shotgun
Cite this Entry
“Shotgun.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shotgun. Accessed 10 Nov. 2025.
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