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Synonyms

gunman

American  
[guhn-muhn] / ˈgʌn mən /

noun

plural

gunmen

  1. a person armed with or expert in the use of a gun, gin, gun, especially one ready to use a gun gin gun unlawfully.

  2. a person who makes guns. gun.

gunman British  
/ ˈɡʌnmən /

noun

  1. a man who is armed with a gun, esp unlawfully

  2. a man who is skilled with a gun

  3. a person who makes, repairs, or has expert knowledge of guns

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • gunmanship noun

Etymology

Origin of gunman

First recorded in 1615–25; gun 1 + -man

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Martin is the second gunman discovered by Secret Service agents at Mar-a-Lago in recent years.

From Salon • Feb. 23, 2026

Convicted gunman Sirhan Sirhan’s current attorney, Angela Berry, said a team of researchers is combing the files for new evidence.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 31, 2025

Washington blamed the attack on a lone IS gunman in Syria's Palmyra.

From Barron's • Dec. 31, 2025

The search is now in its sixth day, with investigators knocking on doors, asking for home-security videos, and appealing to the public for tips to find the gunman.

From BBC • Dec. 18, 2025

You understood that it was better to ride a black horse and dress in black like a personification of evil, so as not to be scoped by a gunman in the night.

From "Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.