starting gun
noun
: a special gun used to signal the beginning of a race
The official fired the starting gun and the runners were off.
also
: the signal made by a starting gun
As soon as she heard the starting gun, she took off running.
Examples of starting gun in a Sentence
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That action in effect fires a starting gun for consumers in the market for a new car or truck to get off the starting line of their search and make a decision.
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Ed Garsten, Forbes, 5 Mar. 2025
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Ed Garsten, Forbes, 5 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Starting gun.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/starting%20gun. Accessed 5 May. 2025.
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