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active shooter

American

[ak-tiv shoo-ter] / ˈæk tɪv ˈʃu tər /

noun

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.

Just like other students at Brown University, she was distraught after receiving an active shooter alert from the university's department of public safety.

From BBC • Dec. 14, 2025

On top of longstanding fears of a potential active shooter situation, she now worries daily that ICE agents will show up.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 9, 2025

That panel’s 77-page report revealed that a total of 376 law enforcement officers descended upon the school in an uncoordinated manner, disregarding their own active shooter training.

From Salon • May 23, 2024

With a background in law enforcement, Burgans also set up active shooter training.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 28, 2024

Before the current school year started in Texas, the department says, it held active shooter trainings with school districts and conveyed its new directive.

From New York Times • Jan. 19, 2024

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