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 Law enforcement had probable cause to take gunman Robert Card into custody a month prior to the devastating mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine, an independent commission claims. Timothy Nerozzi, Fox News, 17 Mar. 2024 The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said Palestinian gunmen opened fire as the crowd gathered and that some civilians had been run over by the aid trucks. Hazem Balousha, Washington Post, 15 Mar. 2024 Garcia was one of 21 people who were killed when an 18-year-old gunman opened fire at the school on May 24, 2022. Escher Walcott, Peoplemag, 10 Mar. 2024 One of the defining moments of Haley’s governorship came in 2015, when a White supremacist gunman killed nine Black churchgoers at Charleston’s Mother Emanuel AME church. Cnn Com Wire Service, Orange County Register, 6 Mar. 2024 One person was killed and two others wounded when a gunman opened fire in a dental office in the Southern California city of El Cajon on Thursday afternoon, authorities said. Faris Tanyos, CBS News, 1 Mar. 2024 Witnesses spotted the gunman leaving the El Cajon office in the white U-Haul, and the police department was able to use its license plate reader system to get a license plate and a photograph of the vehicle. Lyndsay Winkley, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Mar. 2024 The terror would last nine minutes before the gunman surrendered on his belly to police. Gina Kaufman, Detroit Free Press, 7 Mar. 2024 Millions have fled their homes, fearing further raids by gunmen who frequently descend on rural communities on motorbikes. Nimi Princewill, CNN, 4 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'gunman.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1624, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of gunman was in 1624

Dictionary Entries Near gunman

Cite this Entry

“Gunman.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gunman. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

gunman

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