shotgun

1 of 2

noun

shot·​gun ˈshät-ˌgən How to pronounce shotgun (audio)
1
: a usually smoothbore shoulder weapon capable of firing shot at short ranges
2
: an offensive football formation in which the quarterback plays a few yards behind the line of scrimmage and the other backs are scattered as flankers or slotbacks
shotgun transitive verb
shotgunner noun

shotgun

2 of 2

adjective

1
: of, relating to, or using a shotgun
2
: involving coercion
3
: covering a wide field with hit-or-miss effectiveness

Examples of shotgun in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
But still armed with a shotgun, Knowles ambushed the trooper and took him hostage, before using his squad car to pull over a businessman. Liam Quinn, Peoplemag, 17 May 2024 The grandparents of a 5-year-old Michigan boy who was accidentally struck and killed by a shotgun shot in April have been arrested, according to court records obtained by news outlets. Lauren Liebhaber, Kansas City Star, 3 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for shotgun 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'shotgun.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1776, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1892, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of shotgun was in 1776

Dictionary Entries Near shotgun

Cite this Entry

“Shotgun.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shotgun. Accessed 3 Jun. 2024.

Kids Definition

shotgun

noun
shot·​gun
ˈshät-ˌgən
: a firearm used to fire small shot at short range
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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