shooting gallery

noun

: a usually covered range equipped with targets for practice with firearms

slang : a place where one can obtain narcotics and shoot up

Examples of shooting gallery 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.

Under this plan, if China attempted to invade Taiwan, the U.S. Navy would deploy thousands of unmanned surface vessels, undersea vessels, and aircraft to turn the Taiwan Strait into a shooting gallery, buying time for the U.S. fleet to mobilize. —

Sebastian Elbaum, Foreign Affairs, 6 Dec. 2024 The Zapper is part of a 13-person shooting gallery with an IMAX-sized screen that assaults the senses. —

Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 27 Sep. 2024 The crowd-pleasing rally of slice and dice, topspin and dropshots are a mere cameo in a shooting gallery. —

Tim Ellis, Forbes, 30 Oct. 2024 Most activations cost two coins, but some like the shooting gallery cost up to four, meaning that the most things anyone could play in a day caps out at five. —

Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 27 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for shooting gallery

Word History

First Known Use

1836, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of shooting gallery was in 1836

See more words from the same year

Cite this Entry

Style

“Shooting gallery.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shooting%20gallery. Accessed 27 Dec. 2024.

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