Word
sharpshooter
Phoneticssharp·shoot·er, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈʃɑɹpˌʃutɝ/
UK/ʃˈɑːpʃuːtɐ/
Countable noun
Definition
n. a person who shoots a gun with very good aim. You use it for soldiers, police officers, or skilled hunters.
n. a person highly skilled in accurate shooting with a firearm, especially a rifle. Often associated with military or law-enforcement marksmen.
Examples
“The sharpshooter hits the target every time.”
“The police sharpshooter watches the building from the roof across the street.”
“The retired sharpshooter taught young recruits how wind, distance, and patience decide whether a single shot succeeds.”
Examples
simple
“The sharpshooter hits the target every time.”
contextual
“The police sharpshooter watches the building from the roof across the street.”
complex
“The retired sharpshooter taught young recruits how wind, distance, and patience decide whether a single shot succeeds.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “sharpshooter” in context.
Verb
01. deploy sharpshooter
“Police decided to deploy a sharpshooter on the roof.”
verb + noun
02. position sharpshooter
“They positioned a sharpshooter on the hill to watch the road.”
verb + noun
03. sharpshooter aims
“The sharpshooter aimed carefully before pulling the trigger.”
noun + verb
04. sharpshooter fires
“The sharpshooter fired once and hit the target from 500 metres.”
noun + verb
05. sharpshooter hits
“The sharpshooter hit the moving target with a single shot.”
noun + verb
Adjective
06. elite sharpshooter
“Only elite sharpshooters are chosen for this special mission.”
adj + noun
07. expert sharpshooter
“The army sent an expert sharpshooter to guard the base entrance.”
adj + noun
Noun
08. army sharpshooter
“An army sharpshooter provided cover for the advancing soldiers.”
noun + noun
09. marine sharpshooter
“The marine sharpshooter spotted movement near the treeline.”
noun + noun
10. police sharpshooter
“A police sharpshooter took position opposite the bank entrance.”
noun + noun
11. deploy a team of sharpshooters
“Police deployed a team of sharpshooters around the parliament building.”
12. position sharpshooters on rooftops
“Officers positioned sharpshooters on rooftops during the parade.”
Real-World Examples
“In early phases of his service at U.S. bases, he got good performance evaluations and qualified as a sharpshooter after marksmanship training.” “The attack paralyzed central Sarajevo where shopkeepers scrambled for cover as the gunman paced up and down firing on the embassy before a police sharpshooter wounded him and he was arrested.” “We have positioned more than 100 sharpshooters called up from various military units, mainly from special forces," Eizenkot remarked during the interview.” Etymology
sharp + shooter, a calque of German Scharfschütze.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Synonyms
Related words
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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