sharpshooter
Americannoun
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a person skilled in shooting, especially with a rifle.
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Military.
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a rating below expert and above marksman, assigned to one who has qualified with a specific score in rifle marksmanship.
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a person who has achieved such a rating.
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an athlete noted for having accurate aim in a sport, as basketball, hockey, archery, golf, etc.
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Slang. a person who engages in short-term business dealings with the purpose of making a large, quick profit without regard to scruple.
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a spade that has a very narrow blade, used as a garden or nursery tool.
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of sharpshooter
1795–1805; sharp (i.e., sharp-eyed) + shooter; compare German Scharfschütz ( e ) expert marksman
Explanation
If you know someone who is a crack shot with her rifle at target practice, you can call her a sharpshooter. Annie Oakley, the fabled markswoman of the Wild West, is a perfect example of a sharpshooter. The sharp bit is a bit of a stretch, but it is presumed to refer to the marksperson's eye; sharpshooter comes to us as a direct translation of the German Scharfschütz. Today the terms sharpshooter, marksman, and sniper tend to be used interchangeably.
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.
He was a sharpshooter, a man’s man, and a true gentleman.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 21, 2026
Take swings like he did trading for Rui Hachimura or netting sharpshooter Luke Kennard.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 28, 2026
During his final season of collegiate basketball in 2011-12, he was the most accurate sharpshooter in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics with a 48.1% three-point field goal percentage.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 20, 2026
On a night the Storm were 1 of 9 from three-point range — the first time they attempted fewer than 10 threes since June 11, 2019 — sharpshooter Whitcomb didn’t attempt a shot.
From Seattle Times ● May 15, 2024
“We don’t need a sharpshooter for Kaz’s plan, so what’s your job—other than stalking around making everyone antsy?”
From "Six of Crows" by Leigh Bardugo
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