young gun

British

noun

an up-and-coming young man, esp one considered as being assertive and confident

"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

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.

If you are looking for a young gun to take the game by storm, David Ford could be your man.

From BBC • Jan. 6, 2026

That still leaves a chasm at the top with young gun Sam Konstas and the more experienced Matt Renshaw seen as leading the race.

From Barron's • Oct. 15, 2025

But do not cry for the former young gun.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 10, 2023

In the early 1950s, a cohort of ambitious young gun capitalists in the United States saw opportunity in Europe’s war trash.

From Slate • Nov. 22, 2023

Lewis Ludlam will play instead of Underhill and Ollie Chessum for the inspirational Itoje, while Danny Care starts at scrumhalf with young gun Jack van Poortvliet relegated to the bench.

From Reuters • Jul. 14, 2022

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