shoot down

verb

shot down; shooting down; shoots down

transitive verb

1
: to cause to fall by shooting
shot down the helicopter
especially : to kill in this way
was shot down in cold blood
2
: to put an end to : defeat, reject
shoot down legislation
3
4
: discredit sense 2
shoot down a theory

Examples of shoot down in a Sentence

nowadays the aging activist is routinely shot down in most quarters of the media and dismissed as an irrelevant crank every one of my fund-raising ideas was shot down by the other club members
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.
But shooting down unidentified aircraft poses its own problems. Zoe Sottile, CNN, 15 Dec. 2024 Murphy noted the federal law limits the ability of state and local law enforcement to counter drones, but says the federal government has the authority to shoot down the mysterious drones. Chris Pandolfo, Fox News, 14 Dec. 2024 President-elect Donald Trump did the same, demanding the aircrafts be shot down until the government can inform the public. Anthony Robledo, USA TODAY, 14 Dec. 2024 Recommended Joy Five years after fire, a shining Notre Dame is ready to reopen its doors Two Republican Jersey Shore-area congressmen, Mr. Smith and U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew, have called on the military to shoot down the drones, citing safety concerns. Bruce Shipowski, The Christian Science Monitor, 13 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for shoot down 

Word History

First Known Use

1657, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of shoot down was in 1657

Dictionary Entries Near shoot down

Cite this Entry

“Shoot down.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shoot%20down. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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