gun 1 of 2

noun

ˈgən How to pronounce gun (audio)
Definition of gunnext
1
as in firearm
a portable weapon from which a shot is discharged by gunpowder while her father preferred hunting with a crossbow, she preferred a gun

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2
as in artillery
guns plural large firearms (as cannons or rockets) the field commander called for the big guns to be deployed for the full-scale assault

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gun

2 of 2

verb

as in to shoot
to strike with a missile from a gun traded stories of the Wild West, when outlaws gunned men down in broad daylight and in cold blood

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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 gun
Noun
Saturday, when the two officers responded to a report of a man with a gun. — Landon Mion, FOXNews.com, 12 Oct. 2026 Rugged trucks, such as Chevy Suburbans and Ford Raptors, are sometimes converted into mutant-tanks, outfitted with ballistic-proof steel plating, firing ports and gun mounts. — Steve Fisher special Correspondent follow, Los Angeles Times, 11 Oct. 2026
Verb
Some Democratic candidates gunning to replace Graham Platner have criticized Collins’ recent vote to continue funding the agency without requiring additional guardrails. — NBC news, 15 July 2026 Amid allegations of sharing customer data with China, Australian payments startup Airwallex, now valued at $11 billion, is gunning for Stripe and Ramp. — Jeff Kauflin, Forbes.com, 25 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for gun
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gun
  1. firearm
  2. artillery
  3. shoot
  4. rifle
  5. weapons
  6. drill
Noun
  • Slota’s online footprint shows a history of endorsing violence against political enemies, training with firearms, and inviting other leftists to prepare for possible armed conflict before his arrest, a Washington Examiner review found.
    — Hudson Crozier, The Washington Examiner, 9 Oct. 2026
  • On his cellphone, according to the complaint, investigators found messages about drug trafficking and firearms, including devices capable of converting Glock pistols into a fully automatic machine gun.
    — Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of firearm
Noun
  • The launcher appears designed to fit within the US Army’s existing mobile rocket artillery ecosystem.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Phoenix has also invested at least $40 million in Reshef Technologies, a company producing electronic fuzes for artillery shells.
    — Allegra Goodwin, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of artillery
Verb
  • Smith only realized the error four months ago, when the album campaign was shot and everything was in motion.
    — Lars Brandle, Billboard, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Thompson scored 16 points on 6-of-11 shooting from the field and 4-of-8 shooting on threes in the first half.
    — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of shoot
Noun
  • Agents also learned Uribe had sold another rifle modified to operate as a machine gun in August 2022.
    — Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 9 Oct. 2026
  • The officer, identified as Official-1, was tied to a military trailer, struck with a shovel and rifle butt, kicked and subjected to other abuse, including injuries to his genitals.
    — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of rifle
Noun
  • The widespread use of arrests, tear gas and riot-control weapons against teenagers is fueling defiance and angering some parents and teachers.
    — NICOLAS GARRIGA, Arkansas Online, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Washington has placed greater emphasis on producing critical weapons at higher rates.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of weapons
Verb
  • Santos and others had drilled with limited results but couldn’t replicate the American formula.
    — Jordan Blum, Fortune, 10 Oct. 2026
  • Corsair drilled the inner portion of its 200mm fan frames to screw directly onto the rails when they are set at their 140mm position.
    — Thomas Soderstrom, PC Magazine, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of drill

Phrases Containing gun

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gum (up)
gun
gundog
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Cite this Entry

“Gun.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gun. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on gun

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about gun

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