shooting

1 of 2

noun

shoot·​ing ˈshü-tiŋ How to pronounce shooting (audio)
plural shootings
Synonyms of shootingnext
1
: the act of shooting a gun
But shooting is many a man's choice, especially up at the great hunting clubs like Choctaw Bluff …—Harriet de Rosišre
2
: an instance of gun violence directed toward a person or group of people
a drive-by shooting
mass shootings
… a clutch of outspoken student activists flipped the national script on school shootings in America.—Dahlia Lithwick
3
: the act of photographing or filming someone or something
A large fan specially designed to create the effect of wind during shooting.—Ira Konigsberg
That part of filmmaking that comes immediately after the shooting is completed …—Ira Konigsberg

shooting

2 of 2

present participle of shoot entry 1

Examples of shooting 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
Police on Thursday arrested a man in a fatal shooting Tuesday in southwest Little Rock and named the man who was killed. — Rafael Escalera Montoto, Arkansas Online, 27 Aug. 2026 Hughes was placed on administrative duty while the department conducted an investigation into the shooting. — Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 27 Aug. 2026 The Montgomery County Detective Bureau is investigating the shooting, the district attorney’s office said. — Holly Ramer, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026 Castro is charged in Minnesota with assault and falsely reporting a crime in the January 14 shooting of 24-year-old Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis. — CNN Money, 27 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for shooting

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of shooting was in the 13th century

Phrases Containing shooting

Rhymes for shooting

See All Rhymes for shooting

Browse Nearby Words

shoother
shooting
shooting board
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Shooting.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shooting. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Medical Definition

shooting

adjective
shoot·​ing
: characterized by sudden sharp piercing sensations
shooting pains

More from Merriam-Webster on shooting

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for shooting

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