What does "sniper" mean?
A person using long-range small arms for precise attacks from a concealed position.
Sniper
/ˈsnaɪ.pɚ/ noun, slang
noun, slang ·Moderate ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A person using long-range small arms for precise attacks from a concealed position.
- Grammar: sniper is listed as noun, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: archer, artilleryman, attacker, bersagliere.
- Useful contrasts: conventional soldier, defender, frontline shooter.
- Usage evidence: The sniper picked off his victims one by one.
How to use "sniper"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "sniper" 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 "sniper" 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 "sniper" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "sniper" 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 "sniper" is acting as noun, 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 "archer" 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 "sniper", 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 person using long-range small arms for precise attacks from a concealed position.
"The sniper shot him in the head."
- 2 a marksman who shoots at people from a concealed place wordnet
- 3 A sniper rifle. broadly
- 4 Any attacker using a non-contact weapon against a specific target from a concealed position.
- 5 One who shoots from a concealed position.
"The British, having cleared the open field, now faced the problem of advancing through the trees into the sniper fire of several hundred Virginia militia."
Show 4 more definitions
- 6 One who criticizes; a person who frequently snipes at others.
"No winnable seat has been found for Mr. H. L. Nathan, a powerful recruit from the Liberal ranks, and poor Mr. Wedgwood Benn, an invaluable sniper for a party in Opposition, has been out of Parliament now since 1931."
- 7 A hunter of snipe (the bird).
- 8 A player who specializes in scoring goals. slang
"Alexander Ovechkin is often regarded as the greatest sniper of his generation."
- 9 A person or automated process set up by a person who or which attempts to win an online auction by placing a bid only seconds before the auction ends, leaving no time for other bidders to respond
"The real reason most snipers bid late in the auction is that they feel it helps them obtain bargains at the expense of novices who don't understand how proxy bidding works and who place bids for less than the amount they are really willing to pay."
Antonyms
Example
"The sniper picked off his victims one by one."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "sniper"?
Common synonyms include: archer, artilleryman, attacker, bersagliere, bowman, cannoneer.
How do you use "sniper" in a sentence?
The sniper picked off his victims one by one.
How do you pronounce "sniper"?
Pronounced /ˈsnaɪ.pɚ/.
Etymology
From snipe + -er.