Synonyms of shoot

shoot 1 of 2

verb

ˈshüt 

1

as in to fire

to cause (a projectile) to be driven forward with force

BB guns shoot small round metal pellets

Synonyms & Similar Words

• fire
• throw
• launch
• blast
• hurl
• loose
• squeeze off
• discharge
• project
• fling
• sling
• catapult
• cast
• toss
• blaze (at)
• snipe (at)
• lob
• pelt
• heave
• hurtle
• pitch

2

as in to blast

to cause a weapon to release a missile with great force

soldiers train extensively to learn to shoot accurately and quickly

Synonyms & Similar Words

• fire
• blast
• discharge
• pepper
• snipe
• blaze
• potshot
• plink

3

as in to gun

to strike with a missile from a gun

hunters can shoot deer only during the legally specified open season

Synonyms & Similar Words

• gun
• drill
• pop
• kill
• destroy
• drop
• slay
• plug
• slaughter
• blow away
• butcher
• bring down
• fire (at)
• massacre
• shoot down
• pepper
• blast (at)
• blaze
• fell
• pick off
• machine-gun
• dispatch
• shotgun
• snipe (at)
• pistol
• wipe out
• potshot
• annihilate
• decimate
• blot out
• tommy-gun
• ice
• croak
• do in

4

as in to fly

to proceed or move quickly

some show-off shot past all the other skiers on the slope

Synonyms & Similar Words

• fly
• travel
• hurry
• rush
• drive
• race
• speed
• scurry
• chase
• jump
• trot
• run
• scoot
• blow
• zip
• blast
• dart
• zoom
• buzz
• rip
• scuttle
• tear
• bolt
• step
• hurl
• breeze
• jog
• dash
• barrel
• course
• rocket
• ram
• jet
• crack (on)
• career
• hustle
• whirl
• hasten
• blaze
• get a move on
• bowl
• whisk
• motor
• hare
• nip
• beat it
• bundle
• hump
• pelt
• hie
• belt
• bomb
• hurtle
• rustle
• step on it
• careen
• make tracks
• gallop
• highball
• shake a leg
• cannonball
• bustle
• hotfoot (it)
• flit
• scamper
• accelerate
• streak
• sprint
• beetle
• step out
• stampede
• outrun
• overtake
• catch up
• scuffle
• whiz
• quicken
• arrow
• scud
• outpace
• outstrip
• fast-forward
• beeline

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• creep
• drag
• crawl
• poke
• hang (around or out)
• linger
• poke
• lag
• loiter
• stroll
• dawdle
• tarry
• saunter
• shuffle
• amble
• slow (down or up)
• lumber
• decelerate
• plod
• dillydally
• dally

5

as in to photograph

to take a photograph of

shooting the lakeside scene while the light lasted

Synonyms & Similar Words

• photograph
• photo
• snap
• film
• retake
• picture
• mug
• videotape
• image
• rephotograph

6

as in to cast

to throw or give off

suddenly the old, broken-down toaster began shooting out sparks

Synonyms & Similar Words

• cast
• radiate
• release
• emit
• send (out)
• eliminate
• emanate
• expel
• evolve
• issue
• exhale
• throw out
• irradiate
• discharge
• give out
• vent
• pour
• evacuate
• spray
• erupt
• expire
• excrete
• secrete
• eject
• exude
• squirt
• jet
• ooze
• spurt
• gush
• spew
• spout
• outpour

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• take up
• absorb
• inhale
• soak (up)
• suck (up)
• sponge

7

as in to shout

to voice one's opinions freely with force

you've been wanting to say something since this meeting started, so shoot

Synonyms & Similar Words

• shout
• cry
• yell
• call
• speak out
• speak up
• holler
• sound off
• pipe up
• talk up
• spout (off)
• speak one's mind
• bawl
• sing (out)
• roar
• vociferate
• thunder
• bay
• bellow
• articulate
• enunciate
• enounce

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• suppress
• shut up
• hush
• clam up
• quiet
• dummy up
• belt up

8

as in to sprinkle

to mark with small spots especially unevenly

hazel eyes that were brown shot with green

Synonyms & Similar Words

• sprinkle
• dot
• spot
• dye
• pepper
• stain
• marble
• speckle
• blotch
• speck
• fleck
• stipple
• mottle
• freckle
• dapple
• stripe
• splotch
• streak
• blot
• intersperse
• set
• bar
• band
• stud
• spatter
• bespatter

9

as in to send

to cause to go or be taken from one place to another

shot a congratulatory e-mail to his friend as soon as he heard the good news

Synonyms & Similar Words

• send
• ship
• transport
• transmit
• transfer
• pack (off)
• dispatch
• deliver
• consign
• convey
• render
• pass
• launch
• forward
• drop
• give
• return
• import
• export
• present
• address
• contribute
• advance
• donate
• hand over
• bestow
• resend

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• receive
• accept
• get
• obtain
• draw
• acquire
• earn
• secure
• gain
• procure
• garner

shoot

2 of 2

noun

1

as in limb

a branch of a main stem especially of a plant

collected the most tender shoots for the vegetable dish he was making

Synonyms & Similar Words

• limb
• sprout
• offshoot
• growth
• outgrowth
• twig
• bud
• bough
• spray
• spur
• excrescence
• branchlet
• floret
• sprig

2

as in ache

a sharp unpleasant sensation usually felt in some specific part of the body

there'd be a shoot of pain from that molar whenever I bit down

Synonyms & Similar Words

• ache
• stitch
• pang
• pain
• tingle
• sting
• prick
• swelling
• smart
• soreness
• twinge
• agony
• sore
• hurt
• throe
• torture
• suffering
• headache
• discomfort
• tenderness
• injury
• inflammation
• distress
• harm
• misery
• anguish
• torment
• sufferance
• damage
• detriment
• gripe
• complaint
• toothache
• backache
• affliction
• charley horse
• colic
• bellyache
• stomachache
• earache

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• ease
• comfort
• easiness

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of shoot

Verb

Their most obvious use was as sniper nests for shooting the ostriches. — J. B. MacKinnon, Harpers Magazine, 22 Sep. 2026

The statement is reminiscent of the requests the Hennepin County Attorney’s office has made in Minneapolis regarding the shooting deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti. — Taylor Romine, CNN Money, 22 Sep. 2026

Noun

That same year, she was named co-Rookie of the Year with Austin following her debut shoot in Barbados. — Giovana Gelhoren, InStyle, 27 Sep. 2026

The technology grew directly out of Ahokoivu’s work as a cinematographer and his experience trying to get different departments to understand a location in the same way before a shoot. — Callum McLennan, Variety, 25 Sep. 2026

Phrases Containing shoot

• shoot (up)
• shoot at
• shoot down
• shoot for
• shoot the breeze