gunfire

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The term originates from the late 19th century, according to the weather service and Merriam-Webster Dictionary, when an Iowa newspaper first used the word for a snowstorm; previously, the term had typically described gunfire.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 23, 2026

Officers potentially wasting thousands of hours in pursuit of car backfires and construction noise mislabeled as gunfire has not deterred the New York Police Department from continuing to use it.

From Salon • Feb. 8, 2026

The album started with quiet wind and then turned into a tornado of thunder and sirens, swordplay and gunfire over big horns and a funky soul backbeat.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 25, 2026

The Minneapolis shooting is not the first time an individual has been injured by gunfire during an immigration enforcement operation.

From BBC • Jan. 8, 2026

On board ship, the messages from our Navajo net coordinated gunfire, insured resupply, and helped our commanders estimate what had to be done.

From "Code Talker: A Novel About the Navajo Marines of World War Two" by Joseph Bruchac