sharpshooter
noun
sharp·shoot·er
ˈshärp-ˌshü-tər 
plural sharpshooters
1
: a person who is highly skilled in shooting a weapon (such as a rifle) at a mark or target
a police sharpshooter
Determined to prevent any attempt on Lincoln's life, General Winfield Scott had placed sharpshooters on the roofs of buildings along the avenue …—
David Herbert Donald
David Herbert Donald2
sports
: a consistently accurate shooter (as in basketball)
A 6' 9" sharpshooter who several NBA scouts predict will be a first-round pick …—Tim Crothers
Tim Crothers3
: any of various large leafhoppers that have powerful hind legs with spines on the tibia
The sharpshooter uses a needlelike mouthpart to suck fluids from trees and plants. As it goes from one to the next, it spreads diseases that can wipe out orange groves and other crops.—Carl Zimmer
Carl ZimmerIn Temecula, disease-carrying sharpshooters have turned some vineyards into wastelands.—Steve Schmidt
Steve SchmidtExamples of sharpshooter in a Sentence
the police stationed sharpshooters on rooftops all along the route of the presidential motorcade
Recent Examples on the Web
The Horned Frogs held Baylor to just two points in the first five minutes of the fourth quarter while their sharpshooters finally came alive.
—Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Mar. 2025
The 6-foot-6 sharpshooter previously broke out against Auburn to the tune of six 3s and a career-high 18 points but has been in and out of Duke’s lineup because of his slight frame and suspect defense.
—Brendan Marks, The Athletic, 25 Feb. 2025
Marines served aboard Navy ships, acting as sharpshooters in the rigging, firing down on the enemy as the ships rocked on the waves.
—Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 12 Feb. 2025
But then this past summer, the team used major draft capital again on a point guard prospect, this time the third overall pick (acquired from the Brooklyn Nets as part of the Harden trade in 2021), Kentucky sharpshooter Reed Sheppard.
—Rahat Huq, Forbes, 17 Dec. 2024
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Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Mar. 2025
The 6-foot-6 sharpshooter previously broke out against Auburn to the tune of six 3s and a career-high 18 points but has been in and out of Duke’s lineup because of his slight frame and suspect defense.
—Brendan Marks, The Athletic, 25 Feb. 2025
Marines served aboard Navy ships, acting as sharpshooters in the rigging, firing down on the enemy as the ships rocked on the waves.
—Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 12 Feb. 2025
But then this past summer, the team used major draft capital again on a point guard prospect, this time the third overall pick (acquired from the Brooklyn Nets as part of the Harden trade in 2021), Kentucky sharpshooter Reed Sheppard.
—Rahat Huq, Forbes, 17 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for sharpshooter
Cite this Entry
“Sharpshooter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sharpshooter. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
sharpshooter
noun
sharp·shoot·er
ˈshärp-ˌshüt-ər
: one skilled in shooting : a good marksman
sharpshooting
noun
-ˌshüt-iŋ
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