scattergun

noun or adjective

scat·​ter·​gun ˈska-tər-ˌgən How to pronounce scattergun (audio)
: shotgun

Examples of scattergun 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.
With a view to financing the rebuilding of Ukraine, Summers said the World Bank needs to emphasize speed of execution over its current more scattergun approach to development financing. — Christiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 11 Oct. 2022 The odds are that when facing a black-box situation, the evildoer will resort to using a scattergun approach in hopes that something will do the trick for them. — Lance Eliot, Forbes, 16 May 2022

Word History

First Known Use

1836, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of scattergun was in 1836

Browse Nearby Words

scattergraph
scattergun
scattering
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Scattergun.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scattergun. Accessed 27 Apr. 2025.

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