gunshots

noun

plural of gunshot
as in missiles

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of gunshots Her husband died from multiple gunshots, and the two children died from a single gunshot, the release says. — Minyvonne Burke, NBC news, 21 Aug. 2025 Moments later, a resident’s surveillance system recorded four rapid gunshots followed by three rapid gunshots and a final gunshot. — Nick Ferraro, Twin Cities, 19 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gunshots
  1. missiles
  2. projectiles
  3. shells
  4. rounds
  5. loads
  6. slugs
  7. bullets
  8. cartridges
Noun
  • Keeping that infrastructure operational requires more than maintaining the missiles themselves.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 5 Sep. 2026
  • These changes should be combined with a broader upgrading of Taiwan’s armed forces’ network of sensors, communications tools, drones, and missiles.
    — HOLMES LIAO, Foreign Affairs, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of missiles
Noun
  • After the shooting, investigators recovered 44 spent 9-millimeter shell casings, one unfired cartridge casing, and numerous projectiles and projectile fragments.
    — Mark Reynolds, The Providence Journal, 9 Feb. 2026
Definition of projectiles
Noun
  • Flutes, maracas and the rhythmic rattle of shells soon filled the room as Ortega led the other dancers through a series of movements rooted in an Indigenous tradition.
    — Laura Rodríguez Presa, Chicago Tribune, 6 Sep. 2026
  • What better place to display the shells the family collected on vacation?
    — Tessa Cooper, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of shells
Noun
  • No side allowed their opponents more shots across the first two Premier League rounds of the season (44) than Newcastle, and Bournemouth managed another 17 on Saturday, 13 of them during the first half.
    — Chris Waugh, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026
  • It is designed to engage rockets, mortar rounds, unmanned aircraft, and other short-range aerial threats within a multilayered defensive network.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of rounds
Noun
  • The size and specialized nature of these loads can also create opportunities for carriers to take on new customers and routes.
    — Kevin Williams, CNBC, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Faster speeds generally mean a compromise in quality, multi-color 3D printers often waste some filament, and higher volume loads usually demand more hardware.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of loads
Noun
  • With the light load of powder that was behind them, these slugs couldn’t possibly have killed the tigress unless an extremely lucky shot had put them into a vital area at very close range.
    — Leslie E. Tassell, Outdoor Life, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Remember to bury the container deep enough to let the slugs in and out.
    — Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of slugs
Noun
  • In April, a Belgian Air Force Airbus A400M military transport reported being hit with bullets in an engine and the tail while on approach to Toussaint Louverture.
    — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 2 Sep. 2026
  • During another City Council meeting in August, Mayor Brad Pike referenced an instance where one resident had 10 bullets hit his house.
    — Idaho Statesman, Idaho Statesman, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of bullets
Noun
  • Projections of new optical storage archiving systems promise 1PB raw capacity optical cartridges by the 2030’s, compared to the possible 365TB raw capacity cartridge projections for LTO Gen 14.
    — Thomas Coughlin, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
Definition of cartridges

Browse Nearby Words

gunshot
gunshots
gun-shy
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Gunshots.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gunshots. Accessed 12 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of hobnob

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Words from the 'Odyssey'

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
funny guinea pig in glasses reading a book
Challenging Words You Should Know Vol 2 Words to the wise
See All