Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com

sharpshooting

American  
[shahrp-shoot-ing] / ˈʃɑrpˌʃut ɪŋ /

noun

  1. skillful shooting of a firearm at a target.

  2. precise or accurate aim in a sport such as basketball, hockey, or golf.

  3. incisive or cutting use of words to criticize or attack.


adjective

  1. having precise or accurate aim, either in shooting a firearm or in a sport such as basketball, hockey, or golf.

  2. using words incisively to criticize or attack.

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.

See Examples For:

This was also the heyday of traveling extravaganzas like Buffalo Bill Cody’s Wild West shows, which featured hundreds of performers re-enacting frontier battles and showing off their hunting and sharpshooting skills.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 15, 2026

The entire cycle converges in her final 20 minute-long aria, a task that demands the endurance of a cross-country skier and the precision of a sharpshooting biathlete.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 12, 2026

Steve and Jonathan are still competing for Nancy’s attention while her focus is on perfecting her sharpshooting skills.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 26, 2025

Aerial sharpshooting was listed as the top option because it’s “efficient” for eliminating large numbers of deer over a short amount of time, according to the conservancy.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 27, 2024

We had arrived in the middle of a sharpshooting act.

From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

Get a word

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Look it up. Learn it forever.

Remember new words for good with VocabTrainer. Expand your vocabulary effortlessly with personalized learning tools that adapt to your goals.

Take me to Vocabulary.com