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machine gun 1 of 2

noun

Definition of machine gunnext
as in machine pistol

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machine-gun

2 of 2

verb

as in to tommy-gun

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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 machine gun
Noun
Federal agents raided a Miami Gardens home this week and found a machine gun-making factory, along with homemade, automatic weapons and devices used to switch semiautomatic weapons to fully-automatic firearms, according to a criminal complaint. — David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 14 Aug. 2026 Just like in the darnkess cave, the snarling machine gun of thoughts—unanswered emails, to-dos, and angst about my 17 year old’s plans to travel the world alone—slowly fell silent. — Tim Neville, Travel + Leisure, 20 July 2026
Verb
As seen in a recent action in Kupiansk, machine-gun robots can provide suppressive fire so the others can get through. — David Hambling, Forbes.com, 14 May 2026 Iranian speed boats raking ships with machine-gun fire in the Strait of Hormuz. — Jon Gambrell, Fortune, 24 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for machine gun
Recent Examples of Synonyms for machine gun
  1. machine pistol
  2. tommy-gun
  3. submachine gun
  4. shotgun
  5. tommy gun
  6. destroy
  7. assault rifle
  8. kill
Noun
  • One casing is a 9mm caliber, likely a pistol, or a machine pistol or a submachine gun, Weir said.
    — Mohammad Al Sawalhi, CNN, 26 June 2024
  • Deputies also allegedly found a MAC-10 machine pistol and a 9 mm handgun under the passenger seat.
    — Jason Green, The Mercury News, 19 Aug. 2019
Definition of machine pistol
Verb
  • His tommy-gun dialogue, much of it laced with withering invective and punctuated with profanity, started a shift in the language of both theater and movies in this country.
    — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 30 Apr. 2025
Definition of tommy-gun
Noun
  • On the roof, a three-year-old boy from Chile plays with a toy submachine gun, pointing it at anyone who comes within range.
    — Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 27 Feb. 2026
  • Police learned Pyles owns a handgun and a submachine gun, according to charging documents.
    — Jose R. Gonzalez, AZCentral.com, 20 Aug. 2025
Definition of submachine gun
Verb
  • There have been sets with three tight ends, formations that start under center and some that use formation shifts to move from a single-back set to shotgun.
    — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Westman had decorated the assault rifle and shotgun with hate speech in ways that aligned with the dark underbelly of alt-right meme culture that regularly disparages people of color, Jewish people, the LGBTQ+, and people with disabilities.
    — Natalie Eilbert, jsonline.com, 29 Aug. 2025
Definition of shotgun
Noun
  • Gunfire disrupts the silence as Raya emerges through smoke, armed with a tommy gun.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 8 Jan. 2026
  • Gauging from the trailer, this grisly period piece appears to be set in the South with Jordan starring in a dual role as a pair of twins, at least one of whom gets to spray bullets with a retro tommy gun.
    — Meredith Blake, Los Angeles Times, 1 Jan. 2025
Definition of tommy gun
Verb
  • Just this man, essentially destroying himself while his friend watched.
    — Fiction Non Fiction, Literary Hub, 24 Sep. 2026
  • The European Union’s ban on destroying unsold apparel, clothing accessories and footwear began applying to large companies July 19.
    — Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of destroy
Noun
  • The arrest Saturday of a Florida man who was allegedly carrying an assault rifle in his luggage offered a stark reminder of the challenges facing the country.
    — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 19 Sep. 2026
  • Colin Gray, the father who gifted his teen son the assault rifle used in the deadly mass shooting at Georgia’s Apalachee High School, was sentenced to 15 years in prison.
    — Daniela Suarez, NBC news, 31 July 2026
Definition of assault rifle
Verb
  • Saudi officials said debris from a Houthi drone also killed one civilian and injured others.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 21 Sep. 2026
  • For the most part, garlic grows best if it’s planted about a week or two after the first killing frost in the fall, followed by exposure to several months of cool weather before the spring season starts.
    — Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of kill

Browse Nearby Words

machined
machine gun
machine-gun
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Cite this Entry

“Machine gun.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/machine%20gun. Accessed 27 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on machine gun

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about machine gun

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