English Reference

Word

shooting

Phoneticsshoot·ing, stress on the first syllable

US/ˈʃutɪŋ/

UK/ʃˈuːtɪŋ/

Definitions

01firing a gun

B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun

n. an event where someone fires a gun, often resulting in injury or death.

n. an instance of discharging a firearm, typically used in news reporting to describe violent incidents.

“The local news reported a shooting that happened downtown late last night.”

“Police cordoned off the entire block following a shooting that left several bystanders injured during the morning rush hour.”

Synonyms

02filming

B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun Theater

n. the process of recording a film or television show.

n. the production phase of a film or television project where principal photography occurs.

“The shooting of the new action movie will take place in London this summer.”

“The director insisted on a night shooting to capture the authentic atmosphere of the city's neon-lit streets.”

03the sport of using guns

B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun Sports

n. the activity or sport of using a gun to hit targets or hunt animals.

n. the sport or recreational activity of firing a weapon at targets or game animals.

“He spends his weekends at the club practicing his target shooting.”

“The estate offers various outdoor activities, including clay pigeon shooting and guided deer stalks during the winter months.”

Synonyms

marksmanshiphunting

04sudden pain

B2 · Upper Intermediate Medicine

adj. a sharp pain that moves very quickly through a part of your body.

adj. describing a sudden, intense, and radiating sensation of physical pain.

“She felt a shooting pain in her leg when she tried to stand up.”

“The patient complained of a shooting pain that originated in the lower back and travelled down to the ankle.”

Antonyms

Collocations

Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “shooting” in context.

Verb

01. finish the shooting

“The director expects to finish the shooting by the end of next month.”

verb + noun

02. report a shooting

“Witnesses called the police to report a shooting in the downtown area.”

verb + noun

Adjective

03. fatal shooting

“The community held a vigil following the fatal shooting of a local teenager.”

adj + noun

04. shooting pain

“She felt a sharp shooting pain in her lower back when she tried to lift the box.”

adj + noun

Noun

05. shooting range

“Officers are required to practice their marksmanship at the shooting range every month.”

noun + noun

06. shooting schedule

“The actors were exhausted because the shooting schedule was extremely tight.”

noun + noun

07. shooting star

“We lay on the grass and watched a shooting star streak across the night sky.”

noun + noun

Preposition

08. during the shooting

“Several bystanders were injured during the shooting at the shopping mall.”

prep + noun

09. shooting took

Real-World Examples

“He concluded that a silencer had not been used in the shooting of Caffell.”
The Guardian 14 Aug 2026
“The wife of a teacher killed in the Debsirin Nonthaburi school shooting weeps.”
The Guardian 12 Aug 2026

Etymology

From Middle English shoting, schoting, from Old English scotung (“shooting”), from Proto-Germanic *skutungō, equivalent to shoot + -ing. Cognate with Dutch schieting, German Erschießung (“shooting”), Swedish skjutning (“shooting”).

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Word family

Idioms

Domains

FilmTelevision

This entry

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
Common
Level
B2 · Upper IntermediateOxford
Updated

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