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 noun

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
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Noun
The pair of shotgun-style bedrooms right off the entry are decently sized and come with closets, in addition to being separated by the bathroom. Matthew Sedacca, Curbed, 6 July 2026 Love Beth jumping out of her truck and immediately pointing her shotgun at Beulah. William Earl, Variety, 3 July 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

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Cite this Entry

“Shotgun.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shotgun. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Kids Definition

shotgun

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

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