shooter
9 synonyms for shooter, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — A person who fires a weapon.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
How to use shooter
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
first-person shooter
do a shooter
Etymology
From shoot + -er, formed the same way as many English agent nouns.
Full origin of shooter →Frequently asked questions
What does “shooter” mean?
The word “shooter” means a person who fires a weapon. In plain terms, someone who shoots, a shooting-based video game genre, or a small strong drink.
How do you pronounce “shooter”?
“Shooter” is pronounced SHOO-tuh (/ˈʃuːtəː/ in IPA).
How do you use “shooter” in a sentence?
Here is “shooter” used in a sentence: “Police are still searching for the shooter.”
What part of speech is “shooter”?
“Shooter” is a noun.
Is “shooter” a common word?
“Shooter” is a fairly common word in modern English.
How many meanings does “shooter” have?
“Shooter” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a person who fires a weapon.
What is the difference between a "shooter" and a "shot" in drinks?
Both are small glasses of strong alcohol meant to be drunk in one go, and many bars treat the words as interchangeable. Where a distinction is made, a "shot" is usually a straight pour of a single spirit, while a "shooter" is often a small mixed or layered drink.
What is the difference between a first-person shooter and a third-person shooter?
Both are shooters — video games centred on shooting enemies or targets. In a first-person shooter (FPS) you see the action through the character's own eyes, while a third-person shooter shows your character on screen, usually from behind, which changes how aiming and awareness of your surroundings feel.
Is a "shooter" the same as a "gunman"?
The words overlap but differ in tone. A "shooter" is, neutrally, any person who fires a weapon, including sport and target shooters, while "gunman" almost always implies an armed criminal or attacker. Only "shooter" fits harmless contexts such as clay-pigeon shooting.
