sharpshooter

[ shahrp-shoo-ter ]

noun

1. a person skilled in shooting, especially with a rifle.
2. Military.
   1. a rating below expert and above marksman, assigned to one who has qualified with a specific score in rifle marksmanship.
   2. a person who has achieved such a rating.
3. an athlete noted for having accurate aim in a sport, as basketball, hockey, archery, golf, etc.
4. Slang. a person who engages in short-term business dealings with the purpose of making a large, quick profit without regard to scruple.
5. a spade that has a very narrow blade, used as a garden or nursery tool.

sharpshooter

/ ˈʃɑːpˌʃuːtə /

noun

1. an expert marksman, esp with a rifle

Derived Forms

• ˈsharpˌshooting, noun

Other Words From

• sharpshooting noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of sharpshooter¹

1795–1805; sharp (i.e., sharp-eyed) + shooter; compare German Scharfschütz ( e ) expert marksman

Example Sentences

Cronin told his sharpshooter that was OK.

From Los Angeles Times

A person who didn’t believe Lee Harvey Oswald had the skills to assassinate President John F. Kennedy was told that Oswald had been a sharpshooter in the Marines and wouldn’t have had much trouble firing an accurate shot from about 90 yards away.

From Los Angeles Times

This knocked the gunman off his position temporarily, but, "after just a few seconds", he "popped back up" before he was fatally shot by a Secret Service sharpshooter.

From BBC

If a studio or producer were to offer you a cameo as a sharpshooter, maybe in a John Wick-style action flick, would you consider it?

From Los Angeles Times

On a night the Storm were 1 of 9 from three-point range — the first time they attempted fewer than 10 threes since June 11, 2019 — sharpshooter Whitcomb didn’t attempt a shot.

From Seattle Times

Related Words

• marksman
• sniper