shooting
6 synonyms for shooting, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — An incident in which someone is shot, or the sport of firing guns at targets.
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 shooting
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
a shooting pain
go shooting
start shooting a film
Etymology
Came into English as Middle English shoting or schoting, from Old English scotung (“shooting”), from Proto-Germanic *skutungō. It is equivalent to shoot + -ing, and cognate with Dutch schieting, German Erschießung (“shooting”) and Swedish skjutning (“shooting”).
Full origin of shooting →Frequently asked questions
What does “shooting” mean?
The word “shooting” means an incident in which someone is shot, or the sport of firing guns at targets. In plain terms, an event involving gunfire, the sport of firing guns, filming a movie or show, or a sudden sharp pain.
How do you pronounce “shooting”?
“Shooting” is pronounced SHOO-tihng (/ˈʃuːtɪŋ/ in IPA).
How do you use “shooting” in a sentence?
Here is “shooting” used in a sentence: “Police responded quickly to reports of a shooting downtown.”
What part of speech is “shooting”?
Depending on how it is used, “shooting” can be a noun and an adjective.
Is “shooting” a common word?
“Shooting” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.
How many meanings does “shooting” have?
“Shooting” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: an incident in which someone is shot, or the sport of firing guns at targets.
What is the difference between a shooting and shooting as a sport?
The same word covers two very different things. 'A shooting' usually refers to a specific incident in which a person is shot, and is a news and crime term. 'Shooting' as a sport or hobby means firing guns at targets, such as clay pigeons or a range bullseye, for skill or competition. Context makes the meaning clear.
What are the types of shooting as a sport?
Target shooting comes in several recognised forms. Rifle and pistol shooting involve firing at fixed targets over set distances. Clay pigeon shooting, including skeet and trap, means hitting clay discs thrown into the air. Many of these are Olympic events, judged on accuracy and consistency rather than speed or force.
Does 'shooting' also mean filming?
Yes. In film and photography, 'shooting' means capturing images or footage with a camera — 'shooting a movie' or 'a photo shoot.' Here the word has nothing to do with guns; it comes from the idea of aiming a camera and 'taking' a shot. The intended meaning is always clear from the context.
