shot·gun
ˈshät-ˌgən 
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
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
Jon Haworth, ABC News, 2 Jan. 2026
The first police responders to the Bondi massacre were armed with Glock pistols that lacked the lethal range of the Akrams’ rifles and shotguns.
—CNN Money, 30 Dec. 2025
Jonas Shaffer, baltimoresun.com, 3 June 2021
Lunch and registration begin at 11 a.m., with a 12:30 p.m. shotgun start.
—Post-Tribune, 7 July 2017
See All Example Sentences for shotgun
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Noun
Police arrested a 21-year-old man who was allegedly armed with a shotgun, handgun and ammunition near the Space Needle during Seattle’s New Year’s Eve celebration, authorities said.
—Jon Haworth, ABC News, 2 Jan. 2026
The first police responders to the Bondi massacre were armed with Glock pistols that lacked the lethal range of the Akrams’ rifles and shotguns.
—CNN Money, 30 Dec. 2025
Adjective
In 2019, in non-shotgun formations, Jackson had 19 drop-backs and combined with Ravens running backs for 27 carries, according to Sports Info Solutions.
—Jonas Shaffer, baltimoresun.com, 3 June 2021
Lunch and registration begin at 11 a.m., with a 12:30 p.m. shotgun start.
—Post-Tribune, 7 July 2017
See All Example Sentences for shotgun
Cite this Entry
“Shotgun.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shotgun. Accessed 6 Jan. 2026.
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