shotgun

1 of 2

noun

shot·​gun ˈshät-ˌgən How to pronounce shotgun (audio)
Synonyms of shotgunnext
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
ˈshät-ˌgə-nər How to pronounce shotgun (audio)
noun
see also:
ride shotgun

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
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.
Noun
The attacker used a pump-action shotgun that was purchased by his mother, according to a law enforcement official briefed on the shooting. — Alanna Durkin Richer, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026 Tommy breaks them out by using Vision as a battering ram, but Paladin is waiting outside to blast Vision with a shotgun full of adamantium rounds. — Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 14 Oct. 2026
Adjective
Last season, Jackson went under center on just five drop-backs, while the Ravens’ primary ball-carriers had just 24 carries in non-shotgun looks. — Jonas Shaffer, baltimoresun.com, 3 June 2021 See All Example Sentences for shotgun

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

Phrases Containing shotgun

Rhymes for shotgun

See All Rhymes for shotgun

Browse Nearby Words

shot glass
shotgun
shotgun can
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Shotgun.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shotgun. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

shotgun

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

More from Merriam-Webster on shotgun

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for shotgun

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about shotgun

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of compunction

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?
See More

Popular

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
artwork of illustrated limes with the text limes and smile with an arrow connecting the two words
Quiz: Spot the Anagram! Scramble these words to find new words with the e...
See All