shotguns 1 of 2

noun

plural of shotgun
as in muskets

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shotguns

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of shotgun
as in pistols

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for shotguns
  1. muskets
  2. firearms
  3. pistols
  4. handguns
  5. small arms
Noun
  • Back then, students halted studies to pick up rifles, muskets, and bayonets.
    — Ira Porter, Christian Science Monitor, 3 July 2026
  • The new United States needed muskets, cannons, ammunition, uniforms, cloth, food and credit.
    — R. Grant Gilmore III, The Conversation, 30 June 2026
Definition of muskets
Noun
  • Days later, Brun was caught on the wire plotting to acquire a rifle for Manguchei, who, as a felon, was not allowed to own firearms.
    — Guthrie Scrimgeour, Rolling Stone, 2 Aug. 2026
  • Currently, state law restricts open carry of firearms only in public buildings with security measures like metal detectors and guards.
    — Rashad Alexander, Kansas City Star, 31 July 2026
Definition of firearms
Noun
  • In 2018, a Canadian man pleaded guilty to smuggling guns into Canada via the library by collecting bags of pistols stashed inside the bathroom by his American partners.
    — Trevor Hughes, USA Today, 29 July 2026
  • According to a criminal complaint, police recovered two semiautomatic pistols and a Bushmaster AR-15 rifle from Foster’s home.
    — Ben Brachfeld, PEOPLE, 16 July 2026
Definition of pistols
Noun
  • There are still over 900 handguns that are available for purchase within California, according to the state's handgun roster.
    — Noe Padilla, USA Today, 1 July 2026
Definition of handguns
Noun
  • Firefly enables precision strikes, achieving 2-7 feet accuracy from high altitudes (600-2000+ feet), thereby reducing vulnerability to small arms fire and jamming.
    — David Hambling, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026
  • The area is also often used for smuggling of wildlife and small arms, the report says.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 21 July 2026
Definition of small arms
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.

Browse Nearby Words

shotgunning
shotguns
shot in the arm
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Cite this Entry

“Shotguns.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shotguns. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on shotguns

Nglish: Translation of shotguns for Spanish Speakers

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