rifle 1 of 2

noun

Definition of riflenext
as in shotgun

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rifle

2 of 2

verb

ˈrī-fəl How to pronounce rifle (audio)
as in to search
to look through (as a place) carefully or thoroughly in an effort to find or discover something rifled the desk drawer in search of the insurance policy

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 rifle
Noun
Gun manufacturers used the term before the 1980s, when the rifle’s military provenance was a major selling point. — Robert Spitzer, The Conversation, 8 Oct. 2026 At the meeting, Mohamud bought the AK-47 rifle, four 30-round capacity magazines and about 200 rounds of ammunition for about $600. — Whitney Wild, CNN Money, 7 Oct. 2026
Verb
About four minutes into the match, Manu Koné—curiously alone at the top of Norway’s box—trapped a clearance attempt and rifled a shot on goal, which Norway’s keeper, Egil Selvik, diving, punched away. — Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 27 June 2026 Vinícius exchanged passes with Bruno Guimarães on the left flank, took touches to make space and rifled a right-footed shot past the outstretched arm of Yassine Bounou for his 10th international goal. — CBS News, 13 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for rifle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rifle
  1. shotgun
  2. search
  3. musket
  4. comb
  5. flintlock
  6. rake
  7. smoothbore
  8. blunderbuss
Noun
  • Mahomes took a shotgun snap, rolled right to evade pressure and then desperately fired incomplete.
    — Sam McDowell, Kansas City Star, 5 Oct. 2026
  • The shotgun snap bounced off Tre Harris as the receiver motioned across the formation.
    — Mike Sando, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of shotgun
Verb
  • In October 2026, the disgraced ex-prince filed a lawsuit against the Thames Valley Police, who arrested him and searched his homes on his birthday.
    — Allison DeGrushe, StyleCaster, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Think of these tools as a fast way to start searching rather than a guarantee that the first answer is correct.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of search
Noun
  • The ink came from the buds of oak leaves, swollen to the size of musket balls by the eggs of wasps.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 Sep. 2026
  • The alleged texts between the boys, who attended Switzerland Point Middle School, contained information about building a shotgun and musket, as well as obtaining zip ties, per the arrest report.
    — James Cirrone, FOXNews.com, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of musket
Verb
  • Investigators are still combing through the suspects' cellphones, dashboard cameras and other devices for clues about potential links to Iran.
    — Steve Hendrix, Arkansas Online, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Instead of combing through aging reports, collectors can focus their time on high-risk accounts and customers where escalation or direct engagement is required.
    — Ari Widlansky, Forbes.com, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of comb
Noun
  • Smoke billowed from his flintlock and Rhoades didn’t see where the buck ran after the shot.
    — Bob McNally, Outdoor Life, 28 Jan. 2026
  • Modern gun technologies are far, far more deadly than the one-shot flintlocks of the 18th century—shouldn’t that matter?
    — Robert J. Spitzer, Time, 6 June 2023
Definition of flintlock
Verb
  • Residents are still recovering from Hurricane Lala, which raked Hawaii without making landfall in August, producing heavy rain and winds strong enough to sweep about 100 homes off their foundations on the Big Island.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Authorities say Ortiz raked Rihanna’s home and an Airstream trailer parked on her Beverly Crest property with bullets from an assault rifle March 8.
    — James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of rake
Noun
  • China Arms reported that the Type 99B retains the Type 99 family’s 125 mm smoothbore gun, autoloader and three-person crew configuration.
    — Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 20 Sep. 2026
  • At least three states — Hawaii, Ohio and North Dakota — treat a smoothbore musket the same as an AK-47 or AR-15.
    — Allen G. Breed, Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2026
Definition of smoothbore
Noun
  • Trump would also stop treating the Europeans as enemies with his blunderbuss tariffs.
    — Trudy Rubin, Mercury News, 15 Aug. 2025
  • Cost cutting ‘blunderbuss’ DOGE is part of a long line of presidential efforts to take an ax to the administrative state.
    — Zac Anderson, USA TODAY, 11 Feb. 2025
Definition of blunderbuss

Browse Nearby Words

riffs
rifle
rifled
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Cite this Entry

“Rifle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rifle. Accessed 11 Oct. 2026.

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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about rifle

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