# shotgun wedding

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/shotgun-wedding
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

A wedding in which the bride is already pregnant.

## Examples

- Her parents insisted on a shotgun wedding.
- When they found out she was pregnant, the families arranged a shotgun wedding within a month.
- The novel opens with a tense shotgun wedding in a dusty chapel, the bride visibly pregnant and the groom's face set with grim resignation.

## Origin

From the late 19th century, referring to a marriage ceremony conducted under duress. The term rests upon the implication that the groom was forced to the altar by the bride's relatives, who reportedly found a shotgun to be an effective tool for securing his attendance.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.