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

2

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

3

: 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

In Temecula, disease-carrying sharpshooters have turned some vineyards into wastelands.

—Steve Schmidt

Synonyms

• marksman
• shooter
• shot

Examples of sharpshooter in a Sentence

the police stationed sharpshooters on rooftops all along the route of the presidential motorcade

Recent Examples on the Web

Brigham Young University alumni and donors haven’t had a chance to root on their school in a Sweet 16 game since 2011 when sharpshooter Jimmer Fredette carried the team into the national spotlight. —Eric Jackson, Sportico.com, 27 Mar. 2025

Brad Sigmon, 67, is scheduled to go in front of a row of sharpshooters on Friday, March 7. —Ben Brachfeld, People.com, 7 Mar. 2025

Chicago received sharpshooter Kevin Huerter from Sacramento. —Jason Beede, Orlando Sentinel, 4 Feb. 2025

Christian Braun and Peyton Watson have picked up some of the slack, but recent history tells us what happens in the postseason when a sharpshooter becomes an Otterpop. —Troy Renck, Denver Post, 26 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1794, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

sharpshooter

noun

sharp·​shoot·​er ˈshärp-ˌshüt-ər 

: one skilled in shooting : a good marksman

sharpshooting

-ˌshüt-iŋ

noun