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Synonyms

gunslinger

American  
[guhn-sling-er] / ˈgʌnˌslɪŋ ər /

noun

  1. Informal. gunfighter.

  2. Slang. a person who acts in an aggressive and decisive manner, especially in business or politics, as an investor who takes large risks in seeking large, quick gains.


gunslinger British  
/ ˈɡʌnˌslɪŋə /

noun

  1. slang a gunfighter or gunman, esp in the Old West

"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

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of gunslinger

First recorded in 1950–55; gun 1 + sling 1 + -er 1

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:

Julie is intended as a fairly good-natured, warmly attractive and decidedly incongruous gunslinger.

From The Wall Street Journal Nov. 18, 2025

Set in 1872, Forsaken, focuses on embittered gunslinger John Henry Clayton's return to his hometown and his attempts to build bridges with his estranged father.

From BBC Dec. 29, 2024

He was back onstage at the end of the Stills-Young set, joining as one more electric guitar gunslinger on “Rockin’ in the Free World.”

From Los Angeles Times Oct. 7, 2024

Imagine: a sprawling, expensive adaptation of a beloved videogame franchise that features an unlikely duo — a nihilistic old gunslinger with a tortured past and a tough young woman whose mission overlaps with his.

From New York Times Apr. 9, 2024

She stood there stupidly, staring at them, her arms hanging loose at her sides, like a gunslinger in a Western showdown.

From "Atonement" by Ian McEwan

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