What does "shotgun" mean?
A gun which fires loads typically consisting of small metal balls, called shot, from a cartridge.
Shotgun
/ˈʃɒtɡʌn/ noun, verb, slang
noun, verb, slang ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A gun which fires loads typically consisting of small metal balls, called shot, from a cartridge.
- Grammar: shotgun is listed as noun, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: scattergun, automatic, blanket approach, blow up.
- Useful contrasts: apartment, back seat, detached house.
- Usage evidence: The hunter aimed a shotgun at the flock of birds.
How to use "shotgun"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "shotgun" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "shotgun" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "shotgun" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "shotgun" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "shotgun" is acting as noun, verb, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "scattergun" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "shotgun", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A gun which fires loads typically consisting of small metal balls, called shot, from a cartridge. countable, uncountable
"The farmer's son brought home a Thanksgiving turkey from the wild that he killed with his shotgun."
- 2 firearm that is a double-barreled smoothbore shoulder weapon for firing shot at short ranges wordnet
- 3 The front passenger seat in a vehicle, next to the driver; so called because the position of the shotgun-armed guard on a horse-drawn stage-coach, wagon train, or gold transport was next to the driver on a forward-mounted bench seat. Can also be used in situations of claiming other resources such as bedrooms. countable, slang, uncountable
"I call shotgun!"
- 4 A one-story dwelling with no hallways or corridors, with the rooms arranged in a straight line. Southern-US, US, countable, especially, uncountable
"Elvis Presley was born in a two-bedroom shotgun in Tupelo, Mississippi."
- 5 An offensive formation in which the quarterback receives the snap at a distance behind the center, often with a running back set to one or both sides of him. countable, uncountable
Show 3 more definitions
- 6 Relating to shotguns, either in a present or past sense. attributive, countable, uncountable
"shotgun cartridges"
- 7 Relating to the threat of force or dubious means. attributive, countable, uncountable
"shotgun wedding"
- 8 Relating to the use of numerous, diverse or indiscriminate means to achieve a particular result. attributive, countable, uncountable
"shotgun marketing"
Verb
- 1 To inhale from a pipe or other smoking device, followed shortly by an exhalation into someone else’s mouth. slang
"High as fuck, I light it up / Got pre-rolls for the whole month / She don't smoke but when I roll one / We shotgun the whole blunt"
- 2 To verbally lay claim to (something) informal, transitive
"I got a day off because I shotgunned it."
- 3 To hit the ball directly back at the pitcher. transitive
- 4 To rapidly drink a beverage from a can by making a hole in the bottom of the can, placing the hole above one's mouth, and opening the top. US, slang
- 5 To send out many (requests, answers to a question, etc), especially in the hope that one obtains a positive result (i.e. reveals useful information, is correct, etc), in the manner of a shotgun firing many balls of shot such that one may hit a target. US, slang
"An actual physical piece of paper shows that you're not just shotgunning out queries to every agent on the planet."
Show 1 more definition
- 6 To employ the technique of shotgun debugging. slang
"Understand the problem before fixing it. About the only scenario where shotgunning is useful is if there is a shorted IC and you cannot tell which one it is."
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"The hunter aimed a shotgun at the flock of birds."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "shotgun"?
Common synonyms include: scattergun, automatic, blanket approach, blow up, blowgun, blowpipe.
How do you use "shotgun" in a sentence?
The hunter aimed a shotgun at the flock of birds.
How do you pronounce "shotgun"?
Pronounced /ˈʃɒtɡʌn/.
Etymology
From shot + gun. Front passenger seat sense comes from ride shotgun.