gunplay

American

[guhn-pley] / ˈgʌnˌpleɪ /

noun

the exchange of gunshots, usually with intent to wound or kill.

gunplay British

/ ˈɡʌnˌpleɪ /

noun

the use of firearms, as by criminals

"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 gunplay

An Americanism dating back to 1880–85; gun ¹ + play

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.

“Normal” sits exactly in that zone of excessive gunplay punctuated by needle drops and ironic expressions.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 17, 2026

The gunplay is primary though there are some obligatory scenes of martial arts fights.

From Seattle Times • Sep. 22, 2023

Somehow, though, director Alejandro Monteverde recognizes the power of visual restraint, crafting "Sound of Freedom" into an action thriller with less violence and gunplay than you'd encounter on Caviezel's long-running CBS show "Person of Interest."

From Salon • Jul. 22, 2023

Stylistically and tonally adventurous, the film plops humorous, kooky beats in between frenetic editing and gravity-breaking gunplay.

From New York Times • Dec. 2, 2022

This ain't no time fer gunplay or no such foolishness.

From The Mucker by Burroughs, Edgar Rice

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