# gunshot

/ˈɡənˌʃɑt/ (US) · /ɡˈʌnʃɒt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/gunshot
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. the sound or act of firing

noun · CEFR B2

the sound made when a gun is fired, or the act of firing it.

For teachers: the act of discharging a firearm or the audible report produced by such a discharge.

- The sudden gunshot echoed through the quiet woods, scaring away the birds.
- Witnesses reported hearing a single gunshot followed by the sound of a vehicle accelerating rapidly away from the scene.

### 2. a bullet wound

noun · CEFR B2

an injury caused by a bullet from a gun.

For teachers: an injury or wound resulting from being struck by a projectile fired from a firearm.

- The doctor treated a gunshot wound in the patient's shoulder.
- The emergency room staff was placed on high alert after reports of multiple victims with gunshot injuries arriving by private transport.

### 3. range of a firearm

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

the distance that a bullet can travel from a gun.

For teachers: the effective range or distance to which a projectile can be propelled from a specific firearm.

- The soldiers stayed just out of gunshot to remain safe from the enemy.
- The scouts maintained a position just beyond gunshot of the fortress walls to observe the gate without drawing fire.

## Examples

- The sudden gunshot made everyone in the street jump.
- Witnesses reported hearing a single gunshot before seeing a dark car speed away from the scene.
- The silence of the forest was shattered by a distant gunshot, echoing through the valley and sending a flock of birds into the grey sky.

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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.