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.
As part of a countywide agreement, San Diego homicide detectives investigate when officers in other law enforcement agencies fire their weapons, regardless of whether anyone is struck by gunfire. Kelly Davis, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 May 2025 Paramedics and private vehicles rushed victims to local hospitals after gunfire broke out in Watson Avenue in Little River, about 20 miles north of Myrtle Beach, about 9:30 p.m. Sunday. Chloe Mayer, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 May 2025 For some survivors of Parkland who attended the dance school, the clickety-clack sound of the hard shoes triggered flashbacks of the gunfire, and some had to take a break from dancing and be comforted by therapy dogs, the studio said. Don Riddell, CNN Money, 23 May 2025 The incident occurred on Friday when the Racine Police Department in Wisconsin received a call at 10:33 p.m. reporting that a juvenile had been struck by gunfire and was being taken to the hospital by his family, according to a statement from the Racine Police Department. Jon Haworth, ABC News, 20 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for gunfire

Word History

First Known Use

1801, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of gunfire was in 1801

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Gunfire.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gunfire. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

gunfire

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

More from Merriam-Webster on gunfire

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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