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gunfire

American  
[guhn-fahyuhr] / ˈgʌnˌfaɪər /

noun

  1. the firing of a gun or guns.

  2. Military. the tactical use of firearms, especially artillery, as distinguished from other weapons, as bayonets, torpedoes, or grenades.

gunfire British  
/ ˈɡʌnˌfaɪə /

noun

  1. the firing of one or more guns, esp when done repeatedly

  2. the use of firearms, as contrasted with other military tactics

"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

Etymology

Origin of gunfire

First recorded in 1795–1805; gun 1 + fire

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.

The situation remains "confusing" in Sevare, central Mali, where gunfire was still ringing out in some areas, said one local official.

From Barron's • Apr. 26, 2026

The president described a room that was "totally unified", with a "tremendous amount of love and coming together" in the aftermath of the gunfire.

From BBC • Apr. 26, 2026

After an exchange of gunfire, the suspect was detained at the scene and was being questioned Sunday before he is due to appear in court on Monday.

From Barron's • Apr. 26, 2026

Police responded to the 1800 block of West 38th Street last August after multiple 911 callers claimed they heard gunfire coming from the back of a home where Byers lives with his mother.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 12, 2026

Most of our local leaders had been banned or arrested, and in the end, Sophiatown died not to the sound of gunfire but to the sound of rumbling trucks and sledgehammers.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela

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.