-
- To save this word, you'll need to log in.
smoking gun
noun
: something that serves as conclusive evidence or proof (as of a crime or scientific theory)
Examples of smoking gun in a Sentence
This document is the smoking gun that proves that he was lying.
Recent Examples on the Web
To be sure, no covert agency worth its salt is likely to leave behind a smoking gun.
—Aqil Shah, Foreign Affairs, 2 May 2015
Set in South Korea’s provincial mountain region of Hongcheon, A Girl with Closed Eyes opens as a young woman calling herself Min-ju (Kim) is caught, smoking gun literally in hand, standing over the bloodied corpse of celebrated writer Jeong Sang-woo (Lee Ki-woo).
—James Marsh, Deadline, 5 Oct. 2024
The brothers consider the memo a smoking gun and are urging President Joe Biden to issue a formal proclamation saying she was wrongly convicted and executed.
—Eric Tucker, Chicago Tribune, 10 Sep. 2024
Forcible vendor lock-in through tactics like these would be a smoking gun for the DOJ.
—Patrick Moorhead, Forbes, 12 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for smoking gun
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'smoking gun.' 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
1974, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near smoking gun
Cite this Entry
“Smoking gun.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/smoking%20gun. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share