shoot-'em-up

noun

: a movie, television show, or computer game with much shooting and bloodshed

Examples of shoot-'em-up 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.
In the fourth spot is The Accountant 2, Ben Affleck and Jon Bernthal's sequel to their 2016 shoot-'em-up thriller. Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 11 May 2025 The Ride, riders wield virtual fireballs within a blazingly fun, interactive shooting gallery, while the Lost Kingdom Adventure offers a shoot-'em-up target game with mummies and skeletons that react to your every move. Carlye Wisel, Travel + Leisure, 31 Oct. 2023

Word History

First Known Use

1947, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of shoot-'em-up was in 1947

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Cite this Entry

“Shoot-'em-up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shoot-%27em-up. Accessed 5 Sep. 2025.

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