as in shoots
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 guns
Rick Hurd, Mercury News, 15 Jan. 2026
Across California, and the nation, citizens and noncitizens alike have reported being beaten and harassed, having guns pointed at them without provocation and being detained without basic rights for days.
—Los Angeles Times, 14 Jan. 2026
Two guns were also found inside the car.
—Tony Aiello, CBS News, 14 Jan. 2026
Brothers Demetrius Shumpert and Omari Shumpert, along with Alonzo Mingo, posed as UPS drivers and went into the family’s home with guns looking for money, leading to the killings of Shannon Jungwirth, 42, her son Jorge Reyes-Jungwirth, 20, and her husband, Mario Trejo Estrada, 39.
—Nick Ferraro, Twin Cities, 14 Jan. 2026
Officials also discussed violent incidents during the investigations, including when gang members allegedly pointed guns at young children during home invasions, including an 8-year-old and a 3-month-old infant.
—Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 13 Jan. 2026
At the time of execution, four members will have guns with live ammunition and one member will have a gun with blanks.
—Alexandra Kukulka, Chicago Tribune, 13 Jan. 2026
Talking to other parents about guns can be a challenging topic and one that can feel awkward at best.
—Sherri Gordon, Parents, 9 Jan. 2026
An operation conducted by police in West Hartford on Tuesday involving more than 40 motor vehicle stops reportedly led to more than half a dozen arrests and the seizure of guns and multiple types of drugs.
—Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 8 Jan. 2026
Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 1 Jan. 2026
One dog manages to escape the store, but Noem quickly catches up to it and brutally guns it down.
—Jack Dunn, Variety, 12 Aug. 2025
Noun
Officers in a helicopter located the car at an undisclosed location in South San Jose and with guns deployed, pulled over the driver and arrested him there.
—Verb
The military seemingly guns her down during a confrontation with Hopper and Eleven.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for guns
Noun
-
When Israel launched the surprise war against Iran last summer, the depth of its infiltration became evident when it was revealed that Israeli intelligence agents smuggled weapons into the country and used them to strike high-value targets from within Iranian territory.—
-
Ole Miss has enough dangerous weapons in quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, running back Kewan Lacy and wide receivers Harrison Wallace III, De’Zhaun Stribling and Deuce Alexander to make a tired defense pay.—
Verb
-
The expansion Raptors shoots 0-for-3 from the foul line.—
-
The officer shoots a second time.—
Noun
-
About 4,500 women now serve in ground combat positions across the Army and Marine Corps, including in infantry, armor and artillery units -- as well as roughly 10 in the Army's Special Forces.—
-
Russia’s Defense Ministry said Saturday that its forces used aviation, drones, missiles and artillery to strike Ukrainian energy facilities and fuel-storage depots.—
Verb
-
Every college and pro coach drills the same message into their players’ heads, nothing good happens after midnight.—
-
The state also limited preseason contact drills to six hours total and banned spring and summer practices.—
Noun
-
The United Arab Emirates has been accused by human rights groups of directly supplying the RSF with weaponry, an allegation the country strongly denied, while Saudi Arabia and Egypt have allied with the SAF.—
-
And if the defense falls into place with the weaponry already established on offense, the Super Bowl would be back in the discussion.—
Cite this Entry
“Guns.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/guns. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
