Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com

active shooter

American  
[ak-tiv shoo-ter] / ˈæk tɪv ˈʃu tər /

noun

  1. a person who is presently using a gun to shoot people in a confined and populated area.


Etymology

Origin of active shooter

First recorded in 1965–70


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:

Police rushed to the Islamic Center of San Diego Monday after receiving a call about an active shooter.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 19, 2026

Initially, police deployed to an area around a high school with which the suspect was associated, until they received a call of an active shooter at the Islamic Center.

From Barron's ● May 18, 2026

The police responded by deploying officers to the scene, and issuing an active shooter alert for the rural community and a surrounding area.

From BBC ● Feb. 11, 2026

More than 20 million adults have had active shooter training, learning how to keep doors shut or disarm a shooter, participating in multiplayer video simulations.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 18, 2025

About 72% of the state and local officials who arrived at Robb Elementary before the gunman was killed received some form of active shooter training throughout their law enforcement careers.

From Salon ● May 23, 2024

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

Get a word

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Dictionary.com's Learning Companion

Go beyond just looking up words.
Remember them forever with VocabTrainer.

Start training