gunman

noun

gun·​man ˈgən-mən How to pronounce gunman (audio)
1
: a man armed with a gun
especially : a professional killer
2
: a man noted for speed or skill in handling a gun

Examples of gunman in a Sentence

They were shot by an unknown gunman.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Other survivors speaking to local media said the gunmen accused some of the victims of supporting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Aishwarya S Iyer, CNN Money, 26 Apr. 2025 Thompson was shot dead on Dec. 4 outside the Hilton Hotel in Midtown, where the 50-year-old father of two was arriving for an annual investor conference, with the gunman fleeing the scene. Molly Crane-Newman, New York Daily News, 25 Apr. 2025 The report of a gunfight comes amid soaring tensions between New Delhi and Islamabad after gunmen killed 26 people near the resort town of Pahalgam in Kashmir on Tuesday. Time, 25 Apr. 2025 The tensions began rising after India pointed the blame at Pakistan for Tuesday's deadly attack, in which gunmen ambushed tourists in a scenic meadow in Pahalgam and killed 26 men, mostly Hindus. Omkar Khandekar, NPR, 24 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for gunman

Word History

First Known Use

1624, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of gunman was in 1624

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Cite this Entry

“Gunman.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gunman. Accessed 2 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

gunman

noun
gun·​man -mən How to pronounce gunman (audio)
: a person armed with a gun
especially : an armed criminal

More from Merriam-Webster on gunman

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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