gunplay

noun

gun·​play ˈgən-ˌplā How to pronounce gunplay (audio)
: the shooting of small arms with intent to scare or kill

Examples of gunplay in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The gunplay was unusual for the NYPD’s 6th Precinct, which had seen zero shootings this year through June 22 and zero shootings during the same time frame last year. Rebecca White, New York Daily News, 30 June 2025 Heads of State is solely interested in burning the whole thing down, doing its stars no service, and letting the explosions and gunplay take center stage in a movie where action-to-the-max is our filmmaker’s mantra. Pete Hammond, Deadline, 27 June 2025 Aiming and shooting is solid, with snappy gunplay and reasonable levels of recoil keeping firefights enthralling. Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 19 June 2025 And is a game that blends the hugely popular Apex legends with the hugely popular Tarkov and Destiny-feeling gunplay really that bad? Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 16 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for gunplay

Word History

First Known Use

1881, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of gunplay was in 1881

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Cite this Entry

“Gunplay.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gunplay. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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