sniper
Britishnoun
Explanation
A soldier or police officer who specializes in shooting a gun very accurately from far away is a sniper. The U.S. Army has a special sniper school for training soldiers. Sometimes criminal shooters are described as snipers, especially if they shoot at people from a hidden spot. However, this word most often means "trained marksman," especially someone who's trained in the armed forces or by law enforcement, like a member of a SWAT team. Sniper comes from the less-common verb snipe, "shoot birds from a hidden place," from the noun snipe, "long-billed marsh bird."
Vocabulary lists containing sniper
"The Sniper" by Liam O’Flaherty
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Turning 15 on the Road to Freedom
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Because of Mr. Terupt
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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.
If the team had invested any actual energy into brainstorming this entry, they’d have played paintball with a sniper drone.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 26, 2026
A Ukrainian sniper commander whose call sign is Coyote said troops are still needed to take and hold positions, and snipers are part of that infantry.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 14, 2026
Beretta Holding houses more than 20 international brands, producing assault and sniper rifles, grenade launchers and the intricately engraved shotguns of historic British producer Holland & Holland.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 21, 2026
Attorney General Janet Reno decided not to pursue charges, but a county prosecutor in the state did, charging the sniper with involuntary manslaughter.
From Slate ● Jan. 7, 2026
I trotted over to the picnic table and used the bench to step up and stand on the tabletop as I had done the night I fired off the sniper rifle.
From "Dead End in Norvelt" by Jack Gantos
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.
