gunfire

noun

gun·​fire ˈgən-ˌfī(-ə)r How to pronounce gunfire (audio)
: the firing of guns

Examples of gunfire in a Sentence

We heard gunfire in the distance.
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.
Personalities are sketched only in the margins, mostly via brief snippets of chatter between rounds of gunfire. — Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 23 Oct. 2026 Weaver fell to the ground behind a couch after the initial gunfire. — Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 23 Oct. 2026 Rivera said the possibility of gunfire puts her family on edge. — Frederick Sutton Sinclair, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026 Several members of self-defense groups were also injured by gunfire, according to local media reports. — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 21 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for gunfire

Word History

First Known Use

1727, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of gunfire was in 1727

Rhymes for gunfire

See All Rhymes for gunfire

Browse Nearby Words

gunfighter
gunfire
gunflint
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Gunfire.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gunfire. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

gunfire

noun
gun·​fire -ˌfī(ə)r How to pronounce gunfire (audio)
: the firing of guns
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