Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

submachine gun

American  
[suhb-muh-sheen guhn] / ˌsʌb məˈʃin ˌgʌn /

noun

  1. a lightweight automatic or semiautomatic gun, fired from the shoulder or hip. SMG


Etymology

Origin of submachine gun

First recorded in 1915–20; sub- + machine gun

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:

Thompson, who takes his stage name from his wartime submachine gun, rose to fame during the bloody conflicts that tore Yugoslavia apart in the 1990s.

From Barron's Dec. 1, 2025

He fought in three of its five major battles, as well as in many lesser engagements, armed with a Thompson submachine gun.

From New York Times Jan. 12, 2024

Eells compared the weapon to an Uzi submachine gun, which can fire more rounds per minute than an AR-15.

From Los Angeles Times Jan. 24, 2023

Internal Security Minister Omer Bar-Lev said the attacker had a submachine gun.

From BBC Nov. 21, 2021

From the roof of The Cage, Ferguson, drafted as a guard for this emergency, waved and lovingly patted the butt of his submachine gun.

From Take the Reason Prisoner by John Joseph McGuire

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Join 12,000,000 vocabulary learners

Start learning new words today on VocabTrainer.
You'll remember them forever.

Start training